HOME PARK

STUDIO

Final Report

Fall 2022

GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Studio Liaison

Community Partners

Students

The Studio Team with the Georgia Tech School of City and Regional Planning would like

to extend our sincerest thanks to all those who participated in this student-led planning

process. The opportunity to engage with the Home Park community and associated

stakeholders has provided our team with invaluable eld experience. A special debt

of gratitude goes out to the residents of Home Park and the Home Park Community

Improvement Association (especially Brad Czerwonky), without which none of this

would have been possible. We would also like to thank Derek Sweatman with Atlanta

Christian Church for providing a neighborhood space to hold stakeholder interviews.

Lastly, thank you to Aaron Fortner for his professional guidance through this process.

Joel Hudson

Seung Jae Lieu

Michaela Master

Thomas Neaves

John Noe

Miles Rawlins

Samrawit Yohanis

Yuxiang Zhao

Aaron Fortner

Atlanta Regional Commission

Byron Rushing (Bicycle & Pedestrian Program Manager)

City of Atlanta Department of Parks & Recreation

Tara Buckner (Urban Planner III)

Sabina Kasumova (Senior Management Analyst)

Home Park Community Improvement Association The Residents and Business Owners of

Home Park

Atlanta Christian Church

Derek Sweatman (Lead Pastor)

Georgia Department of Transportation

Samuel Harris (Safety Engineering Manager)

Upper Westside Community Improvement District

Elizabeth Hollister (Executive Director)

Park Pride

Ruth Pimentel (Project Manager,

Atlanta Community Schoolyards)

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CONTEXT

MASTER PLAN

APPENDICES

1. History and Background

2. Previous Plans and Studies

5. Overview

A: Stakeholder Interviews

3. Existing Conditions

6. Recommendations

B: Survey Results

C: Home Park Parking Restrictions Field Assessment

7. Community Work Plan

4. Stakeholder Engagement

3.1 Transportation

6.1 Transportation

3.2 Housing

6.2 Housing

3.3 Land Use

6.3 Land Use

3.4 Urban Design

6.4 Urban Design

3.5 Parks | Greenspace

6.5 Parks | Greenspace

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

1. HISTORY & BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Home Park is an intown Atlanta neighborhood that traces its origins back to the

turn of the 20th century. From the beginning, Home Park has always been distinct from

other intown Atlanta neighborhoods. For one thing, it hasn’t always been “intown”,

strictly speaking. Despite its location just northwest of Atlanta’s central business district,

Home Park originally occupied unincorporated Fulton County, just outside of Atlanta’s

municipal boundaries. Known in its earliest days as “Chastaintown”, after the resident

and landowner Avery Chastain, residents of the neighborhood lacked access to many

of the amenities available to their contemporary city neighbors. Around this time in

the early 1900s, it was commonplace to see residents fetching water from wells or

trudging through the muddy unpaved streets after a hard rain. The neighborhood was

not lit by the relatively new electric lights that Atlanta residents had, nor even by gas

lights. Although it was not a farming community, residents kept cows and chickens to

provide them with fresh milk and eggs. Early residents described living in Home Park

“like living in the country” (Reections: Tradition and Change in Home Park, 1977). These

rural qualities, paired with its urban density and proximity to large employment centers

like Atlantic Steel, Exposition Mill, and Miller Union Stockyards, gave the community a

unique character that was cherished by early residents.

Photograph of the intersection of 10th Street and Hemphill Avenue, circa 1970’s

Source: Home Park Resident

Aerial photograph of the Home Park neighborhood

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

In 1909, Atlanta expanded its municipal boundaries to include Home Park, thus

granting access to better schooling opportunities and city services such as sewage

collection and water, gas, and electricity provision. Walkable, paved streets and city-

wide connectivity via a streetcar along Hemphill Avenue facilitated resident mobility.

This more modern Home Park also hosted an assortment of businesses, including

groceries, meat markets, dentists, and dry cleaners. Residents of the era recalled that

the neighborhood’s “economic self-sufciency” was a contributing factor to its robust

community fabric (Reections: Tradition and Change in Home Park, 1977). Along with

keeping income within the neighborhood economy, Home Park residents maintained

strong communal ties with one another through yearly celebrations. A Christmas

Serenade, a Halloween Festival, and a welcoming of summer known as “May Day” are

among the many traditions that fostered community bonds within Home Park. Whether

it was walking together to one of the neighborhood’s many churches or running into a

friend at the grocery on 10th Street and Hemphill, the layout of early to mid-twentieth-

century Home Park lent itself to community building.

The end of World War II saw the beginning of a country-wide trend toward

suburbanization. Driven by low construction costs, the creation of the Federal Interstate

System, and the end of segregation, a mass migration of urban residents out of inner-

city neighborhoods spelled trouble for Home Park. With an aging population and a lack

of new families choosing to live there, the single-family housing stock slowly began to

decay. Compounding these housing issues were expansion pressures from Home Park’s

southern neighbor, the Georgia Institute of Technology. In the 1960s and 1970s, Georgia

Tech earmarked properties and subsequently followed through with expansions of its

campus into Home Park, eventually stopping its northward crawl at 10th Street. This

encroachment into the neighborhood took a psychological toll on Home Park residents,

as homeowners were “unwilling to invest in necessary home repair and maintenance

knowing that their home might soon be taken” (Home Park Urban Design Plan 1977). It

was also during this time that Home Park started to see a surge in rental properties,

many of which catered to the ever-present demand for student housing.

Aerial Photograph of the Home Park Neighborhood, circa 1949

Source: Georgia State University Digital Collections

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

1. HISTORY & BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

In response to these internal and external pressures, resident volunteers came

together in 1974 to form the Home Park Community Improvement Association (HPCIA).

This group has operated within the larger Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) structure

as a means for residents to take an active role in community planning. Still in operation

today, the HPCIA has proven a useful organizational tool for Home Park residents to

leverage their knowledge and resources for the betterment of their community.

The last 30 years have seen signicant changes to the Atlanta Metropolitan area.

1998 marked the end of Atlantic Steel’s near century-long occupation of the 138

acres north of Home Park. Its replacement, a high-density mixed-use development

known as Atlantic Station, now dominates Home Park’s northern border. Similarly, the

industrial areas west of Northside Drive have redeveloped into West Midtown, featuring

high-density apartment living with luxury commercial and retail elements. Home

Park currently exists at the epicenter of a rapidly evolving area, sandwiched by West

Midtown, Atlantic Station, Georgia Tech, and Midtown. In addition, the neighborhood

now has a more diverse residential makeup than ever before. A mixture of longtime

legacy residents, new and established homeowners, student renters, and longer-

term renters nd themselves coexisting in the neighborhood beneath the trees. The

neighborhood’s unique character and history are undeniably worthy of preservation.

Equally self-evident is the fact that Home Park does not exist in isolation and is subject to

the changes of the surrounding area. Only by taking an active role as agents of change

will Home Park residents be able to ensure that changes serve the community’s goals.

By considering both its historical and modern contexts, this report blends the strengths

of Home Park’s heritage with the contemporary needs of its residents into a concise list

of planning recommendations.

Aerial photograph of the Home Park neighborhood, 2022

Source: Google Maps

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

2. PREVIOUS PLANS & STUDIES

Home Park Master Plan (2002)

Westside Revive Plan (2019)

City of Atlanta Comprehensive Plan (2021)

The 2002 Greater Home Park Master Plan was completed in advance of Atlantic

Steel’s redevelopment. Three fundamental principles – diversity, connectivity, and

synergy – with several goals and strategies were outlines to support the master plan’s

vision: “A unique, diverse and vibrant community setting the standard for intown living

and working”. Through this plan, Home Park residents wanted to build a contemporary

urban village while embracing the neighborhood’s changing surroundings.

The 2019 Westside Revive Plan is the comprehensive plan for Atlanta’s Council District

3; Home Park is represented in this jurisdiction as Subarea 4. The plan emphasizes

Home Park’s unique identity and places it in context as a part of the greater urban

systems around it. The recommendations in this plan seek to leverage Home Park’s

urban amenities, while at the same time preserving the identity of its single family and

duplex residential core.

Atlanta’s Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), also known as Plan A, uses the

Atlanta City Design as a starting point and framework for recommending specic

actions to address the challenges facing the city. The document emphasizes the

interconnectedness of land use, transportation, housing, economic development,

nature, historic preservation, and other aspects of urban life. Plan A lays the foundation

for thoughtful, carefully directed growth and development.

CONTEXT

Illustrative master plan from 2002 Home Park Master Plan

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

City of Atlanta City Design Plan (2017)

Georgia Tech Campus Bicycle

Master Plan (2017)

Cycle Atlanta: Phase 1.0 Study (2015)

The Atlanta City Design Plan outlines the overarching vision the City Planning

Department has for future development. This document strives to recognize the

important social, cultural, and historical events that make Atlanta the city that it

is today. With this recognition, the planning department identied key themes to

emphasize as the city continues to develop. This includes the city’s long legacy of civil

rights advocacy and its close relationship with the forest cover. It also includes the

department’s intention to design a city that encourages alternative forms of transit

and social development. The recommendations that are made throughout the book

include maintaining the unique character of the city’s neighborhoods and ensuring

future developments make the city denser and a better place to live. The plan’s motto:

Design for people. Design for nature. Design for people in nature.

This plan seeks to keep up Georgia Tech’s momentum in providing a bicycle friendly

campus experience. The plan’s goal is to make Georgia Tech the denitive bicycle-

friendly university. As close neighbors, Home Park and Georgia Tech share the benets

of a connected bicycle network. The plan identies one of the keys to bikeability on

campus is connection to the surrounding community. As a result, recommendations

of the plan include strengthening the bike network into Home Park on major campus

commuter routes and intersections.

Phase 1.0 of the Cycle Atlanta plan formulates a proposed network of bicycle

connections within intown Atlanta. This plan builds on the strength of the Beltline as

a cycling backbone for the city. A series of corridors are identied for development as

high-comfort bicycle routes. This would give a large portion of Atlanta bicycle access

to the Beltline, and further supports a vision of more comprehensive bicycle access

throughout the entire city. Home Park is bordered by Corridor B in the plan, which spans

from the Westside Beltline to the Eastside Beltline along the stretch of 10th Street that

borders the neighborhood. This planned corridor has the ability to provide Home Park

residents with a rst-class bicycle connection directly to the Westside Beltline, and

across the interstate to Midtown.

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3. EXISTING CONDITIONS

CONTEXT

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.1 TRANSPORTATION

Overview

Accessibility is one of Home Park’s greatest strengths. Residents enjoy the short

trip to several regional amenities just outside their neighborhood, and the ow of

Georgia Tech students to and from class contributes to the community’s identity. Local

destinations include Atlantic Station to the north, Midtown to the east, the BeltLine to the

west, Georgia Tech’s verdant campus to the south, and direct access to the freeway,

all less than a few minutes from the peaceful residential streets of Home Park’s interior.

Transportation in Home Park means being within walking or biking distance to world

class culture, shopping, greenspace, and trails.

Home Park’s Streets

The types of transportation facilities that serve Home Park are primarily two-way

roads with no median and sidewalks on both sides. Most residences are fronted by

local streets with 40 foot right of way, accommodating 25-foot roadbeds with on street

parking on both sides. The narrow lane widths and streetscapes of these local streets

are conducive to self-enforcing low speeds, supporting comfortable travel for all

modes. The exception to this standard of comfort is the condition of sidewalks, which

are so varied as to limit pedestrian access through some corridors. There are three

notable local streets that vary from this typical character. State Street and Hemphill

Avenue both have 60-foot right of ways with 40 feet of roadbed (State Street narrows

to a 50-foot right of way north of 14th Street). Atlantic Drive has 50-foot right of way and

a 30-foot roadbed. State Street is the only local road that traverses the entire north-

to-south length of Home Park and connects directly to Atlantic Station and Georgia

Tech’s campus. 10th Street, 14th Street, and Northside Drive are the three arterials in

Home Park. These streets see higher trafc volumes and speeds and have few modern

accommodations for modes of travel other than cars. Two bike facilities exist in Home

Park: a bike lane on Hemphill Avenue and the Holly Street Trail on the west side of Turner

Entertainment Networks’ property. The bike lanes on Hemphill are subject to a level of

trafc stress uncomfortable to most cyclists, and the Holly Street Trail is a substandard

facility, noncompliant with ADA standards and unsafe for shared use.

Looking west on 14th Street

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.1 TRANSPORTATION

CONTEXT

Street Classication

Most of the streets in Home Park are classied as local. These types of streets

typically have 40-foot wide right of ways with 25-foot roadbeds and on-street parking

on both sides, with some minor variation. Home Park has a loosely formed grid yielding

benets to mobility throughout the neighborhood, particularly walkability. The only

local street that spans the entire length of the neighborhood and into the surrounding

street network is State Street. The next most common street-type within Home Park

is the minor arterial. 10th Street and 14th Street are classied as minor arterials, with

four travel lanes with little or no shoulder. These streets connect directly to the broader

street network of Atlanta and serve larger amounts of regional travel. The highest

classication of road found within Home Park is Northside Drive. It is typically six travel

lanes with intermittent center turn lanes. The volumes and speeds on this road are

not conducive to neighborhood-scale travel, and its intersection with 14th Street and

Hemphill Avenue merit intervention, however GDOT is, at the time of this plan’s creation,

evaluating this corridor for improvements.

State Routes

Northside Drive and 14th Street are the two Georgia state routes through Home Park.

As noted elsewhere in this report, Northside Drive is, at the time of this plan’s creation,

being evaluated for corridor improvements. 14th Street is a candidate for recommended

action, being that it is a central corridor through Home Park, and its current character

may not support the community’s vision for its future. As a state route, 14th should be

noted as a focal point for future efforts to improve accessibility in Home Park, particularly

directed towards consensus-seeking and identication of values between regional

travel and community safety and accessibility.

Street classication State routes

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Vehicle Volume Counts

Vehicle counts on 10th Street and 14th Street are sourced from available, GDOT-

measured AADT for 2021. These volumes of trafc are consistent with a typical four-

lane arterial in the region. Interestingly, 14th Street was more strongly identied than

10th Street for safety concerns through community engagement, while it has lower

measured volume. Both streets serve volumes that make them good candidates for

road diets. Particularly, 14th Street falls under 15,000 vehicles per day, a level identied

by the FHWA as good for road diet implementation in most instances.

Regional Truck Routes

Heavy truck trafc is directed to 14th Street and Northside Drive. Residents have

identied heavy truck trafc as a concern through community engagement. Additionally,

heavy truck trafc is detrimental to user-comfort for bicycles and pedestrians. The

presence of these truck routes indicates that, should bicycles and pedestrians be co-

present, intention should be directed at more robust accommodations for those modes

to negate the harmful impact that heavy truck trafc may have.

MARTA Facilities

Home Park has access to multiple MARTA

bus lines. Home Park’s access to transit should

be leveraged to increase options for mobility

of the neighborhood. As this plan focuses on

implementation within the scope of Home Park,

not the regional transit system, any interventions

in support of transit use are well served to focus

on comfort for users as they seek to access the

facilities shown in the corresponding MARTA map.

Vehicle volume counts per day Regional truck routes

MARTA facilities

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.1 TRANSPORTATION

CONTEXT

Crash Incident Reports

Crash data sourced from police incident reports shows the distribution of crash

activity in Home Park. The gure includes ve years of crash history from 2017-2021.

Not considering Northside Drive, the highest crash corridors are 10th Street and 14th

Street. The increased crash activity on these corridors identies them as targets for

safety interventions. This crash data supports the perceived lack of safety that was

identied through community engagement. Particularly, the intersections at 10th and

State Street, 14th and State Street, and 14th and Atlantic Avenue have clusters of crash

activity. Potential interventions may include corridor improvements, or intersection

improvements aimed at facilitating safe connections across these high-crash corridors.

Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI) Incident Reports

Isolating crash incident reports that resulted in a fatality or serious injury identies

areas where the most severe accidents occur. Often, environmental factors such as

prevailing speeds and roadway characteristics inuence the prevalence of the most

severe accidents. These are locations where focused interventions can often be

implemented to alter those same environmental factors, with the hope of reducing loss

of life or serious injury. In Home Park, 14th Street experiences the greatest frequency of

serious crashes, with a total of six in the ve-year survey period.

Bike-Ped Crash Incident Reports

Isolating crashes involving cyclists and

pedestrians allows focus to be placed on the

most vulnerable roadway users. These travelers

are overrepresented in trafc casualties and

should be considered when identifying safety

interventions. Once again, 14th Street and 10th

Street are corridors of focus.

Bike-Ped crash incident reports

Crash incident reports KSI incident reports

Angle

Rear End

Sideswipe-Same Direction

Head On

Sideswipe-Opposite Direction

Not A Collision with Motor Vehicle

45.4%

27.7%

17.1%

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

14th Street Crash Breakdown

14th Street was a recurring problem area for roadway safety when examined in

the aggregate crash map, serious injury map, bicycle and pedestrian crashes, and in

community engagement. This road stands out as a concern in the area, and called for

a closer look into the crash data. Using the same database used in the crash spatial

analysis, the crashes along 14th were categorized by type of crash. Often looking

at the types of crashes most common on roadways provides direction into what

interventions may be most effective. In the case of 14th, most crashes were angled

crashes, commonly occurring during turning maneuvers. The next largest group were

rear end collisions, followed by sideswipe incidents between vehicles travelling the

same direction. Together these three crash types account for over 90% of the crashes

on 14th Street.

Local Bicycle Facilities

Home Park has two bicycle facilities within its boundary. There are traditional two-

directional bike lanes on Hemphill Avenue, and the Holly Street Multi-Use facility. The

Hemphill facility features posted speed limits of 35 mph, with no separation of bicycle

facilities and on-street parking on the northbound lane. This results in a Bicycle Level

of Trafc Stress of 2-3, uncomfortable for the majority of cyclists. The Holly Street Multi-

Use path does not comply with design standards for a mixed-use facility, nor ADA

standards. Home Park’s active transportation network does not connect to a network

with a high standard of comfort for all users. Heavy truck trafc is detrimental to user-

comfort for bicycles and pedestrians. The presence of these truck routes indicates that,

should bicycles and pedestrians be co-present, intention should be directed at more

robust accommodations for those modes to negate the harmful impact that heavy

truck trafc may have.

14th Street Crash Breakdown

Local bicycle facilities

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.1 TRANSPORTATION

CONTEXT

Regional Bike and Pedestrian Network

Examining the regional active transportation network, Home Park could connect to

the robust multimodal network around it. A planned multi-use trail on the south side of

10th Street should provide east-west mobility, as well as connection to Georgia Tech’s

comparatively robust network. There are also facilities accessing Atlantic Station.

Tapping into this network would serve to better connect Home Park to regional amenities,

including the Beltline, through existing connections and connections planned by other

entities.

Regional bike and pedestrian network

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Previous Planning Recommendations

To build on existing planning work done in Home Park, six previous plans were studied, generating a survey of previous

transportation recommendations. A total of twelve projects were identied. These projects were placed into a tabular

ranking based on the number of plans they appeared in, whether they were specically identied as a priority, and

their ongoing relevance to issues identied in this planning effort. This process helped support the selection of project

recommendations to be included in this report.

Project Description Appears

In:

City of

Atlanta

CDP (Plan

Atlanta

Design

Guide

Westside

Revive

Plan

(Subarea

Home

Park

Master

Plan 2002

GA Tech

Bicycle

Master

Plan

Cycle

Atlanta

1.0

Total

Appearances

Identied

as a

Priority? Relevant?

10th Street

Improvements

As a main east-west connection to midtown and commercial

corridor, these streets should reect design continuity with midtown

streetscapes. Design elements include: 15 foot minimum sidewalks

with 10 feet of clear space, a street furniture zone, street trees at

intervals of 25-40 feet on center, landscaping or porch/terrace

features on building fronts. Multiple plans propose a multi-use path

on the south side of the street, connecting to West Marrieta Street

and across the interstate to Midtown

Y Y Y Y 4 Y

14th Street

Improvements

As a main east-west connection to midtown and commercial

corridor, these streets should reect design continuity with midtown

streetscapes. Design elements include: 15 foot minimum sidewalks

with 10 feet of clear space, a street furniture zone, street trees at

intervals of 25-40 feet on center, landscaping or porch/terrace

features on building fronts.

Y Y 2 Y

Hemphill Avenue

Improvements Notable recommendations include bicycle lanes Y Y 2 Y

Northside Drive

Improvements A pedestrian median with street trees and potential signal timing

evaluation to support pedestrian access across the road Y 1 Y

14th Street MARTA

route A “fully integrated bus loop” through a major corridor of the

community such as 14th linking to the MARTA Arts Center Station Y 1

Ethel Street Day

Shelter Transit

Access Petition MARTA to recongure the 10th-Hemphill-Northside bus route

closer to the shelter Y 1

State Street trafc

Calming

Zoning Condition #4 of the zoning conditions approved by the City

of Atlanta for the Atlantic Station development, (Z-97-58) states that

the developer will work with Home Park to limit cut-through trafc

on residential streets perpendicular to and south of 16th street.

Trafc calming should be employed on State street, potentially

including: medians, greenways, street trees, planters, street parking,

narrowed travel lanes, raised intersections, bulb-outs, speed tables,

streetscaping.

Y Y 2 Y

Directional

Signage Signage at 16th and State Street directing freeway trafc to

Techwood Drive Y 1 Y

Gateway features Gateway features at entrances to the neighborhood (State Street)

can be used to indicate arrival at a urban-residential place, and slow

trafc Y 1 Y

Truck Routing Install truck route signs on 10th and 14th to designate these streets as

preferred truck routes Y 1

Parking

Management Limit parking to one side of all streets less than 30 ft wide Y 1

Paving Pave Hirsch Street, Laurent Street, Rosalyn Street, Flynn Street, and

15th Street Y 1 Y

Sidewalk

Improvements Install new sidewalks where missing and repair sidewalks in poor

condition (see map) Y 1 Y

Mixed-use paths Add mixed use paths to enhance interior circulation in residential

areas east of Northside Drive. Existing ROW on 15th Street and Laurent

Street offer opportunities. Y Y 2 Y

15th Street Bridge -Y 1

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.2 HOUSING

CONTEXT

Overview

Home Park covers about 450 acres of land and has 945 residential lots. The oldest

house dates to the year 1870 with new developments currently being constructed. The

housing in Home Park has been historically attractive for a variety of markets. Students

attending Georgia Tech take residence in the neighborhood due to its proximity to the

school and generally low rents. The neighborhood also provided a market for rst-time

home buyers looking for their rst homes. Home Park has maintained and increased

its attractiveness due to its prime location to major employers as well as a plethora of

educational and recreational amenities.

The housing stock within Home Park is primarily single-family residences with a

sizeable number of historical duplexes, triplexes, and shotgun houses. Out of 1055 total

property records, the type of occupancy within Home Park is split between tenant-

occupied and owner-occupied housing. Homestead exemptions were used to determine

the amount of each kind of occupancy. Through data derived from residential efforts, it

was discovered that 788 homes do not have a homestead exemption and 267 do have

one. From this, we can roughly assume the amount of tenant-occupied homes and

owner-occupied homes, respectively, as homestead exemptions are a tax exemption

only granted to primary residences in the state of Georgia. To continue to illustrate

housing in Home Park, while there are 1055 “properties” in the neighborhood, there are

2174 livable units. Of these 2174 livable units, 168 are part of a hotel and 955 are part of a

20 or more-unit apartment complex.

A house in Home Park that represents the neighborhood’s original character

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Role of Home Park Community Improvement Association (HPCIA)

The City of Atlanta groups the over 240 neighborhoods citywide into 25 Neighborhood

Planning Units (NPUs), each being coded by a letter of the alphabet. Home Park is one of

11 member neighborhoods constituting NPU-E. A property owner wishing to deviate from

city ordinance in a new build or renovation, for example, must apply for and receive a

“variance.” The process for a special exception (e.g., requesting permission for some

nonconforming use of the property) is similar. Beyond intake of either application, the

process involves two phases: NPU-E review followed by review by the Board of Zoning

Adjustment (BZA) in consultation with the Department of City Planning (DCP).

• Once led, DCP staff determine the specic variances required and schedule

NPU review and a BZA hearing.

• Being one of the higher-volume NPUs, NPU-E leadership begins the NPU-E phase

by delegating a detailed review of the application to the affected neighborhood.

The neighborhood reviews and discusses the application with the applicant

and then votes on the application. In its monthly meeting, the NPU-E board then

gives the NPU-E representative for the affected neighborhood, the applicant,

and concerned residents of NPU-E an opportunity to support or oppose the

application before the NPU-E board takes and forwards a vote to DCP staff.

• Moving to the BZA phase of the process, DCP completes their own investigation

and submits to the BZA a short, written report ending with a summary

recommendation, e.g., Approval or Denial, while the applicant obtains from the

city and places on the property a sign providing the required public notice of the

BZA hearing. In receipt of the DCP staff report, the BZA panel invites the applicant

and concerned members of the public to support or oppose the application

before taking a vote. DCP staff issues a “result letter” to the applicant whose

application is approved.

Although HPCIA, NPU-E board, and DCP staff are each given a voice in the process,

these voices are simply advisory, and the nal outcome does not require either

neighborhood or NPU-E approval. While DCP staff recommendations may often

be followed, the vote by the BZA panel controls. While HPCIA’s role and inuence

may seem limited in this bureaucratic process—even neighborhood review is not

technically required—there is still considerable room for growth to better support the

kind of community residents want to create. Within housing, further recommendations

regarding short-term rentals, parking, and beautication are areas where the HPCIA

can establish programs, initiatives, and routines that have a lasting impact on the

identity and lifestyle of the neighborhood.

NOTE: A rezoning application or a request for a Special Use Permit follows a similar

path through DCP, the Neighborhood, and the NPU, but replaces the BZA with the

Zoning Review Board (ZRB) and adds approvals by City Council (specically, the Zoning

Committee and the full City Council) and Mayor. An alcohol license application likewise

follows a similar path but replaces DCP with the Atlanta Police Department and replaces

the BZA with the License Review Board (LRB) and then adds approval by the Mayor.

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.3 LAND USE

CONTEXT

Overview

Home Park is predominantly a residential neighborhood. Single and two-family

residential uses dominate the interior, while commercial development can be found

along the major corridors of 10th and 14th Streets.

Residential properties are primarily zoned R-5, which is the Two-Family Residential

district. This classication permits duplexes in addition to the single family housing

permitted under lower intensity zoning. These properties also fall under the SPI-8

Zoning Overlay district, which was created in hopes of mitigating the on-street parking

challenges experienced by the neighborhood. SPI-8 increased the off-street parking

requirements for all R-5 properties from one space per three bedrooms to one space

per bedroom; the new requirements apply to new construction or modications to

existing housing stock that involve the addition of one or more bedrooms.

Commercial development consists of low-density retail, restaurants, and services.

With few exceptions, the properties are designed to be easily accessible via automobile,

with parking lots between the sidewalk and the buildings. The intersection of 14th

Street and State Street is, at present, the only area of the neighborhood that features

pedestrian-scale commercial development.

Zoning map of Home Park by parcel

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.4 URBAN DESIGN

Building Conditions

The physical form of Home Park’s buildings can be divided into core and boundary

areas. The historic core of the neighborhood is almost entirely residential. Much of

the housing stock consists of the craftsmen bungalow style that was popular during

the 1920’s. There are shotgun-style structures, also from the 1920’s, as well as other

bungalow-style structures that were built in the 1940’s. Most of these houses are a

single story with deep front porches, gabled roofs, and wood and/or brick construction.

In recent years, newly constructed structures started appearing throughout the

residential core. These developments tend to occupy the same footprint as traditional

Home Park structures, but they feature modern architectural styles and stand taller, at

two to three oors. As a result, these new constructions loom over neighboring structures

and stand out from the surrounding character. In addition to the predominantly single-

family residential structures of the neighborhood, other uses such as places of worship

and multi-family residential uses are located within the interior of the neighborhood.

These structures are taller than the surrounding single-family residential structures, but

they feature traditional brick designs which matches the style of adjacent residential

properties.

The arterial streets that form the major boundaries of Home Park, 10th and 14th

Streets, mainly feature commercial uses. This results in a built environment with different

architectural styles. 10th and 14th Streets are major trafc corridors, so development

along them is oriented toward customers in automobiles. Structures are set back from

the street to provide space for surface parking at the front of buildings – a classic strip-

style form of development. 10th Street also contains single-family residential structures,

a church building, and six-story apartments for graduate students at Georgia Tech. 14th

Street also features a diverse group of uses, ranging from ve to six-story apartments

and ofce structures to the largest mosque in Atlanta.

Example of a residential structure in the core of Home Park

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Streetscapes

The streetscapes of the neighborhood can also be divided between the interior of

the neighborhood and the boundaries. Major interior streets, such as State Street south

of 14th Street, have road widths of 40 feet with 5 feet wide sidewalks on either side. The

walking experience is quite exposed- pedestrians walking along State Street do not

enjoy any dense canopy or form of shade, though mature trees occasionally dot the

sidewalk. The sidewalks are, however, passable. Hemphill Avenue is another example of

a major interior road at 40 feet wide, but the inclusion of street parking and bike lanes

on both sides narrows the “feel” of the road. There are also more mature street trees

that provide a shady canopy for pedestrians walking along the road. Smaller interior

streets, such as Ethel Street or Calhoun Street, are much narrower which constrains the

speed and maneuverability of automobiles. The walking experience for pedestrians

is much calmer, as there are fewer chances for dangerous encounters with vehicles.

Interior streets also feature a greater number of mature street trees, with many other

trees contributing to the canopy from private land in the yards of residential properties.

The width of the streets is around 20 feet with sidewalks ranging from 3 to 5 feet. There

are a handful of areas within the neighborhood where the growth of the street trees

has physically blocked off a section of the sidewalk. At these locations, pedestrians are

forced to step into the street to get around the tree. People using wheels – wheelchair

users, strollers, grocery dollies – have trouble maneuvering through these parts of the

neighborhood in their current state. Other sidewalks with hexagonal pavers are broken

up and similarly difcult to navigate.

The nal area for streetscape analysis is the corridor streets of 10th and 14th. Both

streets have a width of 40 feet with two trafc lanes in each direction. 14th Street has

5-foot sidewalks on both sides, but there is little to no coverage for pedestrians who

will feel exposed walking next to the street. 10th Street has a 5-foot sidewalk on the

north side and a multi-use path along the south side, built by Georgia Tech. Though it

has several street trees along the north side, it still leaves pedestrians feeling exposed.

There are sections of 10th street where the roadway is nearly ush with the sidewalk.

This creates an unsafe environment for pedestrians and causes rain runoff to deposit

debris on the sidewalk.

The Intersection of 10th Street and Atlantic Drive

3.4 URBAN DESIGN

CONTEXT

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.5 PARK | GREENSPACE

Home Park

The Home Park neighborhood has one established park, Home Park, which was

developed near the center of the neighborhood in 1958. The park originally had a

community center, which was torn down and rebuilt as a city-owned and privately

operated daycare center in 2003. Children from the daycare, called the R. Kirk Landon

Learning Center, do not use the park during the day, as they have their own separate

playground space. The City of Atlanta’s Ofce of Parks owns and operates the 1.8-acre

park, which currently includes a playground with swings, benches, trash cans, and two

picnic tables. This green space abuts the basketball court, which dates back to 1975.

High fencing currently separates the asphalt court from the rest of the park. Lights

are currently completely absent in the park. An estimated 7,597 people live within a

10-minute walk of this park, per data from ParkServe. The park does not currently offer

any programming.

The Atlanta Ofce of Parks denes Home Park as a Community Park, with the goal

of “meeting community-based recreational and social needs, as well as preserving

unique landscapes and open spaces”. As noted in the stakeholder engagement

section, the park currently falls short of these expectations. The City Department of

Parks and Recreation (DPR) Equity Data Tool, which uses a diverse set of data indicators

to help evaluate needs and guide equitable prioritization of capital investment and

improvement for parks and recreation citywide, has given Home Park’s total park need

a score of 198. This is higher than the city average of 168, but short of the highest-need

parks, which received a maximum score of 230. Per conversations with the DPR, Home

Park’s score is not high enough to automatically place it on the department’s Capital

Improvement Plan. It is also not included as a bond project in the 2022 Moving Atlanta

Forward infrastructure package.

The City of Atlanta’s comprehensive park plan, Activate ATL, kicked off in January

2020 and was completed in December 2021; the City released the strategic plan to

implement Activate ATL in February 2022. DPR staff visited each of the 380 city parks

during the planning process to identify park conditions and needs, cataloguing Home

Park as follows: “Existing park improvements: Improved access, visibility, safety, security,

playground, multigenerational facilities, hardscape and landscape”.

Map of park locations within Home Park neighborhood Home Park

1. Home Park

2. Holly Street Park

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3.5 PARK | GREENSPACE

Holly Street Park

Holly Street Park has a much more recent history, as it was purchased in 2017

with funding from a community benet agreement secured by the HPCIA and the

Conservation Fund. The Atlanta Ofce of Parks took over ownership of the parcel at 1237

Holly Street in 2020, though the property remains vacant and has yet to be developed

into an ofcial park. DPR currently lists it as a “park in holding.” Per ParkServe’s estimates,

this 0.4-acre park will serve 5,205 people within a 10-minute walk once it is developed.

A conceptual design for the park was developed through Park Pride’s Park Visioning

program, which offers a one-day workshop for community groups to get ideas and

visioning for park development. The resulting design, created by a landscape architect,

is intended to create momentum for the park, though it did not include major items for

park development such as a ground survey of the parcel. As such, the design has not

been approved by the city.

DPR visited Holly Street Park as part of the Activate ATL Planning process, cataloguing it

as follows: “Park was acquired in 2017. Development to begin in Winter 2022. Development

of a new park amenities to be determined after community engagement.” The park

has not yet been evaluated by the DPR Equity Data Tool (EDT). However, the City’s 2023-

2027 Impact Fee Capital Improvements Element (CIE), includes a budget line item for

the property to be developed as a new park, with an estimated project cost of $500,000

sourced from city impact fees. The project, however, was slated to begin in January

2022 and be completed by January 2023. Though behind schedule, HPCIA can leverage

this capital outlay by the city to fund the park’s development and catalyze movement

on the park.

CONTEXT

Front cover of Holly Street Park conceptual design Holly Street Park

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Tree Canopy

One of Home Park’s greatest assets is its mature tree canopy. The neighborhood

is a sea of green, particularly in contrast to bordering communities – West Midtown,

Atlantic Station, and the nearest parts of Midtown are all fairly limited in comparison.

The canopy is strong throughout the neighborhood, primarily in the interior, and is

weakest along major corridors, with the fewest trees along Northside Drive and 14th

Street. 16th Street is also lacking in tree canopy, though this could be attributed in part

to its relatively recent development by Atlantic Station.

Trees Atlanta, a local nonprot, supports the tree canopy in Home Park and throughout

the city. This organization protects and improves Atlanta’s urban forest via planting,

conserving, and educating, with a total of 150,000 trees planted in the city since their

founding in 1986. They have been active in Home Park, with their database showing 103

trees planted in the neighborhood since 2009. The City of Atlanta is currently updating

its Tree Protection Ordinance, with the goal of introducing and implementing stronger

protections for the tree canopy by early 2023. The Ordinance, created in 2001, outlines

requirements for development, with the goal of preserving Atlanta’s status as a city in

a forest.

Density of Tree Canopy in Home Park

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

A thorough stakeholder engagement process guided this planning effort. Given the

residential nature of Home Park, heavy emphasis was placed on engaging homeowners

and tenants. HPCIA provided a vital link for meaningful communication with residents.

In addition to residential engagement, the studio team solicited input from a variety of

professional sources for additional insight into issues in and around Home Park. Public

engagement took place via three primary forms: resident interviews, an online survey,

and two community meetings.

Interview

The Studio Team interviewed residents both in-person at Atlanta Christian Church

(located on State Street in Home Park) and online via Zoom. The studio team contacted

participants via email and encouraged them to schedule an interview for the format

that best suited them. Interviews followed a standardized open-ended question list,

although ample exibility was allowed for free-ow conversation. In total, 13 stakeholders

participated in interviews with the studio team; 12 of these were homeowners and one

was a tenant. The full list of interview questions, aggregated responses, and analysis

methodology are included in Appendix A.

The studio team consulted various professional sources for information regarding

specic topics. These sources and a brief description of their contributions are listed

below:

• Byron Rushing with the Atlanta Regional Commission: Provided an overview of the regional

pedestrian and bicycle transportation networks and discussed Home Park’s position in

them

• Tara Buckner and Sabina Kasumova with the City of Atlanta DPR: Discussed the status

of Home Park and Holly Street Parks in relation to the department’s planning and

improvement efforts

• Samuel Harris with GDOT: Provided expert opinion on transportation matters affecting

Home Park

• Ruth Pimentel with Park Pride: Walked through Park Pride programming opportunities and

gave insight to Park history

Survey

An anonymous Microsoft Forms survey was sent out to the stakeholder list provided

by HPCIA; of the 42 individuals on the list, 30 provided responses. As with the interviews,

survey questions were open-ended to allow residents freedom of expression. The list

of survey questions, aggregated responses, and analysis methodology, are included in

Appendix B.

Community Meetings

The studio team hosted two virtual community meetings. The rst, held on October

12th, 2022, presented preliminary planning recommendations, inviting attendees

to provide feedback via the Zoom chat and a question-and-answer forum after the

presentation. Following a period of revisions and additional research, the studio team

hosted a second meeting on November 7th, 2022, to share nal recommendations

and gather any remaining community feedback. The Studio Team provided contact

information after both meetings and made copies of the presentations available to

community members.

4. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

CONTEXT

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

5. OVERVIEW

MASTER PLAN

The Master Plan is grounded in the stakeholder feedback and contextual information

gathered by the studio team. It consists of planning recommendations to address some

of the neighborhood’s greatest threats and improve the quality of life for all Home Park

residents. These recommendations are accompanied by the Community Work Plan

(found on page 56), sorted into the following focus areas:

Transportation: Improvements to Home Park’s transportation systems should prioritize

residents’ desire for safety and mode-choice through the neighborhood and beyond. A

new cross-section on State Street to add a protected cycle track traversing Home Park,

as well as a four-to-three lane road diet on 14th Street should be pursued for adoption

and implementation. These two initiatives will require advocacy and collaboration

between the neighborhood and the appropriate transportation departments, but

operating within the existing right-of-way means that these two projects represent

relatively low-cost and high-reward opportunities for the neighborhood to advance its

goals.

Housing: Home Park’s residential life is core to the neighborhood’s overall character.

To preserve its residential quality of life, the proliferation of short-term rental’s must be

reduced to primary residences and vetted by the neighborhood prior to operation. The

inconvenient lack of parking tends to be exacerbated by overbooked short-term rentals

and visitors from the general public. Parking restrictions must be tailored to a street-

by-street basis according to the previous recommendations provided by the city. The

neighborhood’s visual attractiveness and walkability is dependent on the upkeep of

residential properties and clearing bulk debris from public rights-of-way. To restore

and maintain the appeal of Home Park, it is essential to establish strong connections

with the student-tenant community and the city’s solid waste services to clean up bulk

trash and ensure absentee landlords are involved in the upkeep of their properties.

Land Use: Home Park’s charming, close-knit residential core sets it apart from other

intown neighborhoods and should be preserved even as the surrounding area continues

to densify. Meanwhile, its commercial nodes and corridors should be reimagined and

reclassied to allow development that supports the desire of residents for walkable,

human-scale retail. The existing zoning ordinance and its pending rewrite are powerful

tools to advance these goals.

Urban Design: Home Park occupies a unique position within Atlanta and provides a

sense of history and charm that is somewhat missing from surrounding neighborhoods.

The neighborhood’s special form should be preserved through the creation of design

guidelines and the reconstruction of interior sidewalks. In addition, the neighborhood’s

unique sense of community should be preserved and amplied through the

development of resident-oriented commercial nodes and the installation of signage.

Parks/Greenspace: Home Park’s beautiful tree canopy and park are unique amenities

to the neighborhood. The tree canopy is not stagnant, and needs to be directly

advocated for amidst the constant balance between development and preservation

efforts. The existing park is underutilized and not serving its highest potential despite

its size and ease of access in the neighborhood. There is ample opportunity to improve

the park, as well as strategically push forward efforts for the development of Holly Street

Park. Home Park’s greenspaces have the opportunity to bring neighbors together as

community gathering spaces, as well as offer recreational opportunities for those who

work in the area.

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

High-level master plan of target areas in Home Park, categorized by focus area

Transportation Housing Land Use Urban Design Parks/Greenspace

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.1 TRANSPORTATION

Recommendation #1 is a new proposed cross section for State Street, to include

a new, two-way cycle track and buffer, pursuant to best practices to ensure a high

level of comfort for all modes of travel, and for all levels of ability (T1.1). This requires

repurposing of east parking lane (approximately 60 useable parking spaces on the

half-mile corridor) to accommodate the cycle track and buffer. The two-way cycle

track was selected to provide a protected space on the roadway with a buffer for

bicycles travelling both directions, while preserving one parking lane, and eliminating

the potential for “dooring” of cyclists. One special consideration that should be taken

in the design of this facility is the potential for chicanes of all travel lanes to preserve

established trees providing canopy coverage and on-street handicap parking spaces.

The following recommendations represent consensus in the neighborhood, as well

as current best practices for addressing the needs identied in the area. They are

conceptual representations of design treatments as they should be applied to these

specic streets in Home Park. These visualizations may require further renement, full

feasibility studies, and engineering to be brought to implementation. Projects labels

from the recommendation section align with those from the Community Work Plan.

MASTER PLAN

Recommendation 1: State Street New Cross

Section

Proposed State

Street cross section

from 10th to 14th

Existing State Street

cross section from

10th to 14th

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Recommendation #2 is a four-to-three lane road diet for 14th Street (T2.1).

Data analysis and community input identied 14th Street as the top concern in the

neighborhood due to excessive speeds, unsafe driving behaviors, poor turn visibility,

and an uncomfortable pedestrian experience. A four-to-three lane conversion on a

road with trafc counts like 14th (<15,000 vehicles/day annual average) has been shown

to redress the issues on 14th without serious congestion increases. Specically, a road

diet such as this can help slow vehicle speeds, improve visibility for drivers, reduce

the angled, rear-end, and side-swipe crashes that dominate 14th, and allow for a

more comfortable environment for bicycles and pedestrians. A road diet project such

as this can only be facilitated through coordination with GDOT. Community concerns

regarding cut-through trafc, particularly on Ethel Street, should be directly addressed

in a full trafc study to accompany implementation.

Recommendation 2: 14th Street Road Diet

Proposed State

Street cross section

from 14th to 16th

Existing State Street

cross section from

14th to 16th

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.1 TRANSPORTATION

MASTER PLAN

Visibility

In the 4-lane section, the visibility of

vehicles waiting to turn left is blocked

by oncoming vehicles or left turning

vehicles in the adjacent opposite lane.

This creates a blond spot preventing the

driver turning left from seeing oncoming

trafc and safely turning across trafc.

The center turn lane eliminates this blind

spot and allows the driver to directly see

the oncoming trafc.

Bike Accommodation

In the 4-lane sections without dedicated.

Bicycle lanes cyclists share the outside

travel lane with vehicles creating an

uncomfortable accommodation that

is typically utilized by only the most

experienced and condent cyclist. In a

3-lane conversion, the extra roadway

space can be reclaimed for bicycle lanes

to create a clearer, comfortable and

safer bicycle facility that encourages

broader use.

Turning Refuge

In the 4-lane section, vehicles turning

left onto the roadway must cross 2 lanes

of trafc to then enter into the desired

lane. This creates an increased risk of

an accident with vehicles traveling in

both directions on the throughfare. In

a 3-lane section, vehicles turning left

onto the throughfare must successfully

cross only 1 lane of trafc to safely enter

into the middle turning lane where

the vehicle can wait to merge into the

desired lane.

Existing 14th Street

cross section

Proposed 14th Street

cross section

The following six graphics explain some of the benets that road diets have been shown to bring

to four-lane roads:

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Intersection Improvements

The following conceptual intersection plans are aimed at bringing the proposed

projects closer to implementation by facilitating connections between the proposed

corridor improvements and the surrounding network. With ease of implementation

in mind, these designs rely primarily on road paint to establish right of way and

multimodal comfort. Wherever possible, nal designs should strive to incorporate

additional elements that prioritize comfort and safety for all modes of travel. Specically,

curb bulb-outs at the intersections of 10th and State and 14th and Atlantic should be

examined as a possible treatment to expand the pedestrian space and calm trafc. All

conceptual designs are subject to renement and nal authoritative approval during

the anticipated engineering process.

10th and State Intersection Improvement

Speeding

A 4-lane section promotes lane

changing behavior and speeding as

more aggressive drivers utilize the

second travel lane to pass slower

moving vehicles and travel through

the corridor faster. The 3-lane section

eliminates the second lane and

regulates overall vehicle sped to the

slowest moving vehicle.

Left Turn Queue

Stopped vehicles in the center lanes

waiting to turn left create vehicle queues

in a travel lane at unpredictable times

and places. Vehicles approaching this

queue do not always anticipate the

stopped trafc resulting in rear-end

crashes. A separated left turn lane

removes this situation.

Left Turn Weaving

In a 4-lane section, vehicles waiting to

turn left cause approaching vehicles

to spontaneously and unpredictably

weave and change lanes, increasing

the potential for sideswipe crashes.

Providing a dedicated center turn lane

removes the left turning vehicle form

the trafc ow and eliminates lane

changing.

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.1 TRANSPORTATION

MASTER PLAN

The 14th and Atlantic Intersection improvement includes:

• Tree Removal

• Advance Warning

• Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon (RRFB)

The recommendation for the intersection of 10th Street and Atlantic Drive is an

actuated bicycle signal head (T3.1). Currently, there is no guidance for the movement

of bicycles through the intersection coming northward from the bicycle and pedestrian

only section of Atlantic Drive on Georgia Tech’s campus. In lieu of an actuated bicycle

signal head, a sign directing cyclists to use the pedestrian signal (MUTCD R9-5) may be

installed as an interim measure.

14th and State Intersection Improvement

14th and Atlantic Intersection Improvement

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.2 HOUSING

Short-term rentals (STR) are a burgeoning business in the city of Atlanta, with an

estimated 7,465 of these properties1 currently found within city boundaries. According

to atlneighbors.org, 127 of these are in Home Park, but the HPCIA claims there are 266.

Residents of Home Park are concerned about the lack of municipal management over

STRs and how the proliferation of these residential businesses changes the character of

their neighborhood from residential to a quasi-hotel district. To address the increasing

pressure and ensure that STRs are held to community standards, the Atlanta city council

passed Ordinance 20-O-1656, Regulation and Taxation of Short-Term Rentals (H1.1) . This

ordinance establishes an application process for individuals who run STRs in Atlanta to

obtain a license to operate lawfully in accordance with city regulations. However, the

implementation of this ordinance was delayed several times to give STR operators time

to obtain licenses. Although this ordinance was approved by the City Council on March

15, 2021, the current deadline to obtain a license before code enforcement begins is

December 5th, 2022.

The application process requires a checklist of notarized documents and payments

to be submitted annually in order to obtain or renew a short-term rental license. A brief

overview of the application is as follows:

• Signed acknowledgement that the STR ordinance has been read and understood

• Submission of the STR operator’s contact information

• Disclosure of the address of the STR unit

• Utility bill, deed, lease agreement, or certicate of organization of the entity for proof of

primary residence/ownership or permission from the owner (if an operator owns or rents

two properties within the city of Atlanta and wants to make one or both STRs, one must be

registered as the primary residence.)

• Submission of written rules stating the unlawfulness of excessive noise

• Acknowledgement of the maximum occupancy rate of 2 adults per bedroom

• Disclosure of the number of parking spaces available and their location

• Acknowledgement that violations may result in eviction and/or nes

• USPS mailed notication letter to adjacent properties of the intention of the property

becoming a STR

• Payment of $150.00 and an 8% hotel-motel tax rental fee

Recommendation 1: Improved Management

of Short-Term Rentals

Map of Short-Term Rentals in Home Park (the

area bounded by 16th street to the north, 10th

street to the south, Northside Drive to the west,

and the 75/85 connector to the east)

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.2 HOUSING

MASTER PLAN

Although this legislation established much needed structure and management

over the industry in Atlanta, some neighborhoods need more support and restrictions

in place to preserve their residential character and quality of life, particularly Home

Park. Additionally, the ordinance comes up short on reducing the sheer number of

STRs. Obtaining a license may lter out a portion of individuals who cannot produce

the appropriate documentation and fees, but so long as these requirements are

satised, an STR agent can run any number of short-term residences. City leaders have

also acknowledged this gap in reducing the proliferation of STRs and have proposed

additional legislative measures to remedy it. Namely, Councilmember Byron Amos has

introduced Ordinance 22-O-1759, Home Park Short Term Rental SPI which restricts the

issuance of licenses to STR agents operating an STR solely from their primary residence.

This ordinance, once enacted, would return a level of comfort that permanent

residents have lost and keep the number of STRs relatively low in the neighborhood. By

restricting STRs to just primary residences, hosts are more likely to be in close proximity

with their guests and ensure that noise and cleanliness standards are maintained. This

arrangement brings the STR experience back to what it mostly consisted of when it was

a budding industry- families and individuals simply renting out extra rooms within their

homes for a short time, in return for compensation. Thus, it is recommended that the

HPCIA continue to support this legislation until its approval to secure this critical step

towards reclaiming the residential quality of the neighborhood.

There are more legislative opportunities that can ensure STR operators, and their

proposed short-term rental businesses are up to community standards before

operation. An additional measure to this end would be to require a special use permit

(SUP) in order to operate STRs within Home Park (H1.2). To acquire a special use permit,

a potential STR operator would be required to ll out the appropriate paperwork with

the city which entails meetings with the neighborhood planning unit and a hearing

with the Zoning Review Board (ZRB) this process ensures that the community vets

this business endeavor before its operation within the neighborhood. HPCIA can add

additional conditions surrounding parking and trash, so that operational standards are

at a level which satises the community.

Parking in Home Park has historically been a challenge to meet both residential

needs and accommodate visitor demand. Because of its convenient location to

schools, recreation, and jobs, visitors tend to use the neighborhood’s streets to park

their vehicles for most of the day while making last-mile trips to their destinations

through micromobility alternatives. As such, the neighborhood has been experiencing

intense overcrowding in their generally narrow streets and have made attempts to

manage it, particularly by creating a residential parking permit program, that residents

on each street can choose to implement. The impetus behind this was to give priority

parking to residents via the use of the residential permit. However, this brought on new

obstacles where the number of permits residents could get per household would be too

limited for their needs, and guests of residents would nd their vehicles ticketed after a

certain amount of time, which were both unforeseen consequences. Considering this,

most streets in Home Park have abandoned the residential parking permit program

altogether.

Recommendation 2: Parking

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Another attempt at addressing parking was through the encoding of the Special

Interest District-8 (SPI-8) into the city’s code of ordinances for Home Park. This required

that upon enactment, homes built in Home Park had to include one parking space

per bedroom on the property, so that parking for these homes would be effectively

off street and reduce the crowdedness on the roads. Homes that were built before

the installation of this legislation were and remain to be exempt from this rule as they

generally do not have parking spaces on their property and therefore must utilize the

adjacent street to park their vehicles. Nonetheless, overcrowding remains a pressing

issue in the neighborhood, with limited creative solutions.

A study led by the city twelve years ago took an assessment of every street in Home

Park that considered the size of each respective street as well as any current parking

restrictions or one-way conversions (see Appendix C for more detail). Recommendations

were made for each street, either proposing to add or keep parking restrictions or to

have no restrictions at all. The parking restrictions, one-way orientations, and width

of the streets have not departed much since the assessment, thus next steps for the

neighborhood would be to observe each street recommendation individually and

determine which are the most impactful to implement (H2.1).

Parking in the modern world is a common issue, particularly in vehicle-dominated

societies. As more protected bike lanes are built, and other multi-modal options

become more available, the number of cars on the streets will decrease, and so will

overcrowding from parking in residential areas. The transportation recommendations

in this document are also geared towards this end, so that parking in Home Park for

residents becomes less congested and more convenient over time.

A side-by-side comparison of public rights-of-way in Home Park, one with strewn bulk trash and the other with a clear path.

The picture on the right is the standard residents want to uphold.

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.2 HOUSING

MASTER PLAN

There are several beautication projects that HPCIA can jumpstart at little cost in

time and effort but yield signicant results. As mentioned previously, a large amount of

student tenants live in Home Park because of its convenient location to Georgia Tech,

and its generally low rents. Yet, student tenants are largely unaware whether housing

conditions they get are acceptable or otherwise and communication from absentee

landlords is lacking, resulting in bulk trash left out on curbs for long periods of time and

generally unkept premises.

Thus, working with student tenants to establish a Home Park Student-Tenant

Association is an essential rst step (H3.1). This organization would be best suited if

established as a student organization within the student engagement department

at Georgia Tech. This would secure its longevity within a well-established student

organization system and increase its exposure to students that would become tenants

in Home Park or funnel students that are already tenants into the organization. To create

a new student organization, there are a few preliminary steps, namely acquiring at least

10 initial members, a Georgia Tech faculty/staff advisor, creating a constitution, and

attendance to student organization chartering training sessions. Much of these steps

can be accomplished with the effort of student-tenants that have a vested interest in

establishing an organization and can help secure Tech personnel to become an ofcial

organization.

This goal of creating a Home Park Student-Tenant Association has its merits. It

provides an avenue for direct communication between and to student tenants, where

they can compare housing conditions and receive support from HPCIA to advocate

for improvements from respective landlords. HPCIA can also directly inform student

tenants of bulk trash pickup dates, organize swap meets to reduce waste during move-

in/move-out seasons, put pressure on absentee landlords to upkeep their properties,

and announce other opportunities for community involvement.

Although establishing this student-tenant organization is foundational to addressing

the large amounts of bulk solid waste left out on public right of way; additional

initiatives can also support keeping curbs clear. In addition to coordinating swap

meets, partnering with Goodwill or other local thrift stores can give student-tenants

an opportunity to donate their items if they are in good condition (H3.4). For student-

tenants who may not be a member of the organization, physical yers throughout

the neighborhood can serve a dual role by providing steps to handle their bulk trash

appropriately and invite them to join the organization (H3.3). Lastly, the City of Atlanta

does provide bulk trash pickups on an appointment basis, where 12 collections per

requesting party can be provided annually. The HPCIA, either in conjunction with the

student-tenant organization or independently, can schedule these collections, however

we recommend discussing the unique needs of Home Park with the city’s Solid Waste

Services (SWS) personnel and the ofce of Councilmember Amos. This is to resume

automatic, regular monthly bulk trash pickups, particularly in August during the peak

move-in and move-out season (H3.2).

Recommendation 3: Beautiﬁcation

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Residents of Home Park have expressed a desire for more pedestrian-oriented

restaurants and retail options. However, many existing commercial properties, especially

along 14th Street, do not create a welcoming environment for Home Park residents;

auto-oriented layout with frequent curb cuts lead to an unpleasant experience on foot.

Adopting MRC (Mixed Residential Commercial) zoning standards will enable the type of

walkable, pedestrian-friendly environment for which residents have expressed a desire.

Specically, MRC provisions do not permit parking structures between the street and

the building façade; instead, parking will be located behind the buildings so as not to

disrupt the pedestrian experience.

Several commercial properties surround the intersection of 10th Street and Hemphill

Avenue. These parcels are zoned C-1, Community Business, and should be rezoned to

MRC-1, which will support low-density commercial uses. Other commercial properties

are clustered along 14th Street and are zoned C-2, Commercial Service. Rezoning these

parcels to MRC-2, which is designed for corridor commercial uses, will ensure that when

redevelopment occurs, it does so in a manner that supports the pedestrian experience

Home Park residents want.

Residents have expressed concerns about noise, trash, and other negative effects

that adjoining residential properties would experience due to moving commercial

parking behind associated buildings. MRC design standards address this concern

by including language that requires a 20-foot buffer and a 6-foot-tall opaque wall

between MRC-zoned parcels and any adjoining residential properties.

To accomplish this, HPCIA will rst need to submit a rezoning application to the City

of Atlanta’s Concept Review Committee (CRC); the CRC is intended to streamline the

review process by identifying potential challenges and highlighting areas to rene before

the ofcial review begins (L1.1). Once that is done, HPCIA will need to submit a list and

map of all properties it is seeking to rezone, along with current and proposed zoning for

each, to Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) E. Additionally, HPCIA will need to post public

notice signs on all properties it is seeking to rezone, advertise the rezoning case in the

Fulton County Daily Report, and mail postcards to all properties within 300 feet of the

parcels to be rezoned. After the NPU has provided a recommendation, the City Zoning

Review Board (ZRB) will hold a public hearing and provide its own recommendation to

the City Council, which will render the nal decision on the rezoning request.

Recommendation 1: Commercial Rezoning

6.3 LAND USE

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.3 LAND USE

MASTER PLAN

In late 2022, the City of Atlanta resumed the process of rewriting its zoning ordinance.

The intent of the rewrite is to simplify the zoning code, not to signicantly change the

character of existing established neighborhoods. The zoning rewrite will be a multi-year

process, with the Department of City Planning hosting several Focused Workshops in

the coming months; these hands-on sessions will provide a forum to share alternative

recommendations and provide public feedback. As a designated Conservation Area,

Home Park will have an opportunity to make its input known on April 13, 2023 (L2.2).

To express its desires for future development, the Studio Team recommends that

Home Park draft a Neighborhood Identity Statement (L2.1). This can be a brief paragraph

stating the current characteristics of the neighborhood that residents identify as

essential and worth preserving. It can also include the neighborhood elements to be

pursued or improved going forward. The Studio Team has drafted a statement below

that HPCIA can use as a starting point. This statement should be submitted to the City

by the summer of 2023.

Home Park is a neighborhood made up predominantly of small-lot residential

properties, with single-family homes, two-family homes, and rear-yard accessory

dwellings. The neighborhood has appropriately scaled townhomes and missing

middle housing developments which are integrated into the community in ways that

maintain and preserve its historic neighborhood charm. The corridors that make up

the boundaries of the neighborhood should provide desired goods, services, and civic

uses, all within walking distance of the neighborhood. Combined with safe and walkable

neighborhood streets and block patterns, the neighborhood is truly pedestrian-friendly

and enables residents to get around more without the use of a car.

Recommendation 2: Zoning Rewrite

Parcel map of Home Park with commercial properties targeted for rezoning shown in blue

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

The neighborhoods surrounding Home Park have seen an abundance of development

in the past two decades with the rise of Atlantic Station and the Westside Provisions

District, the continued expansion of Georgia Tech, and the construction of the Interlock

and other mixed-use properties along Northside Drive. Most recently, Georgia Tech

has received an Economic Development Authority grant to redevelop its 14th Street

manufacturing facility into an advanced Articial Intelligence hub, which could spur

redevelopment similar to that seen in Tech Square.

This highlights the wider impact that development within a single neighborhood or

area can have on the surrounding region. Therefore, the Studio Team recommends

that HPCIA establish and maintain communications with representatives of the

surrounding neighborhoods regarding redevelopment and land use decisions; whether

the Land Use committee or a newly-formed committee takes up this task is up to the

neighborhood (L3.1). HPCIA should approach Midtown Alliance, along with groups from

Atlantic Station, Marietta Street Artery, and Georgia Tech, and work with these groups

to set a regular meeting time to discuss potential development situations. Doing so will

provide a forum in which HPCIA can advocate for the interests of Home Park residents

and their quality of life.

Recommendation 3: Communication with

Surrounding Neighborhoods

Map of Home Park and surrounding neighborhoods

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.3 LAND USE

MASTER PLAN

Much like in other American cities, Atlanta’s residential properties are overwhelmingly

zoned for single-family use. This makes Home Park unique in that gentle density is

already permitted under its existing Two-Family Residential zoning. More than that, this

presents an opportunity for Home Park to provide affordable housing options while still

retaining its idyllic, quaint neighborhood feel.

To that end, the Studio Team recommends HPCIA form a committee to dene the

characteristics of preferred redevelopment under R-5 zoning (L4.1). Options to consider

could include adding accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and converting single-family

detached homes to duplexes. Combined with housing policy and urban design

guidelines, this action could protect Home Park’s calm atmosphere and allay resident

concerns about over-development while still allowing more individuals the chance to

become involved and invested in Home Park.

Recommendation 4: Residential

Development Vision

Attached accessory dwelling unit

Source: Atlanta Department of City Planning

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Examples of Neighborhood Commercial Centers in Virginia Highland and Kirkwood

6.4 URBAN DESIGN

Stakeholder engagement with residents of Home Park revealed the desire for

community-oriented commercial development along 10th and 14th Streets. Common

themes amongst those expressing interest were mixed-use with residential units over

small stores and a maximum height of three stories. Rezoning the parcels along these

corridors to MCR-1 – as described in the previous Land Use section - can ensure that

neighborhood-scale commercial structures are constructed to replace current auto-

centric properties.

Neighborhood Commercial Centers are spatially dened places that provide

community-scale commercial activities to an individual neighborhood; in this case,

Home Park. Customers from other parts of Atlanta can shop at these centers, but the

primary customer focus should be on the wants and needs of the residents of Home

Park. Examples of existing Atlanta neighborhood commercial centers can be found

at the intersection of North Highland Ave and Virginia Ave in the Virginia Highlands

neighborhood and the intersection of Oakview Road and Howard Street in the Kirkwood

neighborhood. The physical form of these neighborhood commercial center examples

is one that should be replicated in Home Park.

Recommendation 1: Neighborhood

Commercial Centers

The commercial center for 10th Street should be located at the intersection of 10th

Street and Hemphill Avenue (U1.1). This was historically a dense commercial area,

with Rocky Mountain Pizza’s building serving as an example of the older commercial

structures. The primary objective of this location is the redevelopment of the current

strip-style commercial structure on the northwest corner of the intersection. The

single-story structure should be removed and replaced with a three-story, mixed-use

structure immediately on the corner and a two-story structure directly to the west.

The two buildings are intended to be separated by a narrow passageway that will

allow access between the building fronts and the parking in the rear of the parcel.

The primary design element of these structures should be brick, with awnings over the

rst-oor retail spaces. This is meant to emulate historic “main-street” commercial

structures and provide an inviting building for residents to shop and dine. The sidewalk

along 10th Street and Hemphill Avenue should be widened to fteen feet, with ve feet

intended for sidewalk amenities and ten feet for open space (U1.2). Sidewalk amenities

should include street trees, lamp posts, and bike racks, though other amenities such as

benches and trash cans can also be included. The design of the buildings and sidewalk

is meant to create an inviting place that can easily be accessed by pedestrians.

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

A surface parking lot should be placed behind the structures on the north side of

the parcel (U1.3). The number of parking spaces will be determined by MCR-1 zoning

requirements. Currently, this means that there should be one parking space for every

two residential units and one parking space for every 500 sq ft. of retail space. The

northern boundary of the parking area will be buffered by a 20-foot transitional yard.

Any lighting for the parking area will be oriented away from any adjacent residential

parcels.

The commercial center for 14th Street should be located around the intersection of

14th Street and State Street (U1.1). This center is intended to serve residents on the North

side of Home Park, and the current land use around this intersection is aligned to provide

an opportunity for a true commercial core. Two-story mixed-use buildings should be

located on the Northwest, Southwest, and Southeast corners of the intersection. The

existing historic commercial structures on the Northeast corner of the intersection

should be preserved. The development on the southwest corner should not impact the

former church structure that inhabits the west side of the block, in an effort to prioritize

historic preservation. The current structure could be torn down and replaced with

modern apartments, but it was decided that maintaining the church provides a better

community feel to Home Park. The developments on the northwest and southeast

corners should extend to Mecaslin Street and Atlantic Drive, respectively. Extending

any developments along the entire edge of the block fronting 14th Street will give the

impression that this is a true commercial core, instead of a cluster of separate buildings.

Structures at this neighborhood center should also feature brick facades. Each face will

feature storefronts on the ground oor with display windows and recessed entrances.

Buildings should also feature cornices at the top of the exterior wall. As with the 10th

Street development, surface parking lots will exist behind the structures fronting 14th

Street (U1.3). These parking areas will also feature 20-foot buffers and lighting oriented

away from adjacent residential parcels.

As mentioned in the existing conditions, Home Park is known for its early 20th-century

bungalow structures. Recent developments within the historic core threaten to disrupt

the character of the neighborhood. The neighborhood should amend the current SPI-8

zoning overlay to include design guidelines for any new structures (U2.1). Home Park’s

existing SPI overlay only concerns the parking requirements with residential properties.

However, Special Public Interest Districts have the capacity to guide the form and

design of new developments within the neighborhood. An example of an existing

neighborhood with extensive design guidelines is Vine City. Its SPI-11 Overlay breaks the

neighborhood down into separate subareas, to account for different uses. Home Park

could ensure new developments within the neighborhood match the characteristics of

existing structures and conform to any other regulations put in place. An amendment

to the existing overlay will be easier for the neighborhood than creating any new zoning

designation.

To initiate this process, the neighborhood should contact their council member and

the Ofce of Zoning and Development to express their interest in updating the overlay.

The neighborhood will be able to incorporate community feedback to ensure the nal

product is in line with the desires of Home Park residents. Feedback could be collected

via a new HPCIA committee focused on urban design (U2.2). Having explicit demands

for an amendment to the overlay will help expedite the process.

Recommendation 2: Design Guidelines

6.4 URBAN DESIGN

MASTER PLAN

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

The City of Atlanta has plans for improvements to Home Park’s main corridors, but

not for interior streets. As such, the neighborhood should aim to fully connect all existing

blocks with sidewalks, where lacking, and repair current sidewalks that are covered

in debris and/or damaged (U3.1). All maintenance, repair, and new construction of

sidewalks should be done with concrete, as brick and hexagonal pavers are easily

moved and damaged by foot trafc, automobile trafc, and tree growth. Sidewalks

should also be kept clear of debris, garbage bins, and general rubbish which render

them impassable. The neighborhood should require bins to be moved immediately on

days without any trash pickup. Current street trees should be maintained, though there

are instances where the sheer size of a tree prevents the replacement of surrounding

sidewalks. Property from adjacent homeowners may need to be acquired to allow the

sidewalk to curve around a tree.

There are a few locations within Home Park where street trees abut retaining walls. It

may be physically or economically infeasible to curve the sidewalk across a property

line. In this instance a “bulb-out” or curb extension, which sees the sidewalk curve

around the tree into the street, could be used. Curb extensions are often used for street

calming or to provide extra space for greenery, but the conservation of Home Park’s

street trees warrant such a measure. In the event that a tree falls or is removed, the

sidewalk could continue on its straight path, and the curb extension could either be

removed or maintained as a space for additional greenery.

Recommendation 3: Interior Streetscape

Improvements

Example of interior neighborhood streetscape on Hampton Street

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Funding for neighborhood improvement could come from two sources: the City of

Atlanta and Neighborhood raised funds. Atlanta is working on a roadmap for repairing

sidewalks throughout the city, but there is a considerable backlog. As such, it may take

many years for the city to address Home Park’s sidewalks. This could be advanced if the

HPCIA made it clear to their NPU and/or council representative which sidewalk segments

need to be repaired. HPCIA can also pursue locally raised funds via neighborhood

events or fundraisers, in which a percentage of any money raised could be designated

exclusively for community streetscape improvements.

Mature street trees on Calhoun Street

Example of a Curb Extension in Santa Fe

Source: NACTO

Example of Street Trees affecting street right-of-

way in Austin, Texas

Photo credit to Guy Rawlins

6.4 URBAN DESIGN

MASTER PLAN

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Recommendation 4: Improved Sense of Place

Many of Atlanta’s historic neighborhoods go to great lengths to highlight their unique

sense of place through the extensive use of signage. Home Park lacks any indication that

an individual is entering or leaving the neighborhood. An example of unique signage,

that is common in Atlanta, is to hang on each home in the neighborhood. This is seen

in Grant Park, which features half suns with the address number of each house, and

Ormewood Park, which hangs trolley car signs. One resident of Home Park contacted

the Studio Group to show prototype signs for homes around the neighborhood. These

signs are shaped like orange oak leaves and are large enough for the homeowner to

display their home address numbers. These signs, hung from many houses throughout

the neighborhood, create a unique indicator that one is in the specic neighborhood of

Home Park (U4.1). It also adds a fun visual element to the neighborhood.

An example of Home Signage in the Ormewood Park Neighborhood

Prototypes of potential signage for Home Park Homes

Photo credit to Brad Czerwonky

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.4 URBAN DESIGN

MASTER PLAN

A second example of signage is a banner atop lamp posts and/or utility poles along

10th and 14th Streets (U4.2). Signs can feature the name, “Home Park”, or any information

on local events. This would give travelers an indication that they are entering or

passing through a unique place within the city. This is an important distinction to make,

especially as the development in Midtown and West Midtown threatens to diminish the

unique character of Home Park.

A nal suggestion for identifying one’s entrance into Home Park is a large metal sign

placed at the ends of each corridor road (U4.3). This could come in the form of simple

metal “welcome” signs placed at eye level and featuring Home Park-related branding.

Another notable sign type can be found in the Short-North neighborhood in Columbus

Ohio. The welcome sign acts as an archway or gate and physically indicates when a

driver is entering the area. Home Park could use these archways to better dene the

start and ends of Home Park and indicate to drivers that they are entering a new place

within the city.

Example of lamppost with a

banner in Midtown, Atlanta

Example of “arched” signage in the Short North

neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio

Source: Short North Arts District

Renderings showing potential neighborhood-scale developments at the intersection of 10th and 14th Streets

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.5 PARK | GREENSPACE

The parcel which will house the future Holly Street Park has been vacant and

otherwise ready for development since 2020. Developing the park will require two key

ingredients: attention and funding.

The park’s status of “park in holding” is creating a positive feedback loop of inaction

for development. The city does not include it in general park planning efforts because

it’s not an established park yet, and it’s not an established park due to lack of planning

and attention. Holly Street Park’s inclusion in the 2023-2027 Capital Improvement

Element (CIE) is a key item to leverage in gaining attention and support from DPR. The

CIE conditions its $500,000 allocation on community engagement efforts. Members of

the HPCIA are currently organizing to conduct a survey for what neighbors would like

to see in the park’s development. These efforts should be conducted alongside DPR to

fulll this requirement and focus attention on the holding pattern of the park (P1.1).

In addition, the 2021 Activate ATL plan lays out the importance of the newly launched

Equity Data Tool (EDT) in prioritizing park development and investment. Over 300 city

parks have already been evaluated and rated in this tool; Holly Street’s absence from

the list is another missing element in getting eyes and attention to the park (P1.2).

Though it might not rank as the highest need of all parks in the system, it will certainly

provide forward momentum in getting the park ranked and listed for future funding

prioritization. This is not to suggest that Holly Street will rank highly on the EDT – rather,

the city is emphasizing equity as a priority for the department, and having data on

this end will support forward movement in guring out the best way for the park to get

funded and developed.

Recommendation 1: Holly Street Park

Development

Local businesses landscape within ¼ mile of Holly Street Park

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.5 PARK | GREENSPACE

MASTER PLAN

Home Park’s namesake is a wonderful asset to the neighborhood; however, it is

currently overlooked and underutilized as a community space. Stakeholder engagement

revealed that some residents did not even know the park existed, or that they had

never visited despite living in the neighborhood for many years. Feedback on park

improvement centered around a desire for more purposeful activities and installation,

supporting a greater community gathering space which is currently lacking in the

neighborhood.

One opportunity to bring energy and excitement to the area is to create a signature

community event hosted in the park (P2.1). This is not a new idea – rather, community

festivals were a staple of the neighborhood in its early, formative years, according

to the 1977 “Reections: Traditions and Change in Home Park” historical document

acquired by the studio team. This event could be, for example, a back-to-school block

party in August or September, which is peak moving season for the many Georgia Tech

students who live in the neighborhood. The HPCIA could partner with Georgia Tech and

other local businesses in the neighborhood to welcome new student residents and help

them get acquainted with the neighborhood. This festival could bring in local vendors

and food trucks, such as the Muchacho Burrito Bus which is currently stationed semi-

permanently on Hemphill Avenue near 14th street.

Fundraising for the park’s development is another key strategy to develop Holly

Street Park (P1.3). Approximately 112 businesses are located within a quarter-mile

– roughly a ve-minute walk – of the future park. This is signicant for two reasons:

rstly, businesses within close proximity could benet from the park themselves, such

as employees taking a walk on a break or hosting small events in the park. Secondly,

roughly 60% of these businesses are locally based, meaning their success is in-part

invested in the neighborhood’s success. Getting local buy-in from businesses could

help develop neighborhood identity and pride. As such, these motivations can be

tapped into via a fundraising campaign for park development. The HPCIA’s 501(c)(3)

status further enables all donations to park development to be tax-deductible, which

is a key component of successful fundraising strategy. This local business analysis is

included as an appendix to the report.

Lastly, the Moving Atlanta Forward infrastructure package, approved by voters in May

2022, includes $161.4 million for parks, recreation, and the arts. Of this amount, $64.6

million is slated for park improvements. Key items within this category include:

• ADA improvements: $5M

• Outdoor Activity Center Improvements: $1.5M

• Neighborhood Park Projects: $3.2M

The DPR will oversee this spending, which is funded by two bonds and a special sales

tax throughout the city. There are several parks slated to receive funding in 2023 from

this package, though the 2024-2026 funding allocations have not yet been determined.

Recommendation 2: Home Park Activation

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

In addition to the HPCIA itself hosting events, the park can be promoted as a

community space to be rented out to other organizations for events (P2.2). DPR uses

the platform iPARCS, which is an online reservation portal for park space throughout

the city. Home Park is not currently included on iPARCS, and thus cannot be reliably

reserved ahead of time for events. Using this platform, as well as renting out the park

itself, is free with a refundable deposit for anyone in the city. Once the park is added to

this system, it can be advertised as a destination for local organizations to rent.

A more ambitious opportunity exists for a redevelopment and reimagination of the

neighborhood’s namesake park. Current amenities are limited, and do not match with

the most frequent users of the park space. From interviews, surveys, and site visits, it

appears that the dominant users of this park are currently dog owners. Despite this,

the park has no resources for dogs, such as waste bags or a water fountain. Rather,

there is a faded playground for the small handful of children who visit the park with

their parents, often after being picked up from the daycare next door. However, parents

occasionally skip visiting the playground due to its placement in a drainage area of

the park, which is often riddled with mosquitos. Furthermore, according to ParkServe,

only 15% of the people served within a 10-minute walking radius of the park are under

18. Though Calhoun is a relatively quiet residential street, a fence runs along the side of

the park that faces the street. Since the other three sides of the park are also fenced in,

this can make visitors feel unwelcome or trapped inside.

Recommendation 3: Home Park

Development

Images of park activation inspiration

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.5 PARK | GREENSPACE

MASTER PLAN

Introducing programming for vacant areas of the park could be part of a larger

vision for redevelopment (P3.4). To fulll the desire of stakeholders for community

space, the empty grass space – often soggy and lled with mosquitos – could be

developed into a public square, inspired by those seen throughout historic Savannah.

A small fountain or public art could serve as the center of such a square, surrounded by

benches and lampposts. This would give a better sense of place to the area and could

function better as a meeting point for neighbors. Removing the fencing along Calhoun

Street could allow for a grander entrance to the park, along a walking path from the

street to the square and beyond.

For the many dogs who visit the park, space could be converted into a small, off-

leash dog park. The most cost-efcient option for this would be to use the back of the

park where the playground currently is, as it already has fencing on three sides and

would simply require a fourth. However, a more ideal option would be to convert the

underutilized basketball court into green space and reconnect this with the rest of the

park. Per guidance from DPR, dog parks are advised to be a minimum of two acres to

provide separate spaces for small and large dogs. However, the Atlantic Station Dog

Park down the road is a small 1,800 square feet and is quite popular with residents. The

dog park at Piedmont Park is only two miles down the road and features three acres of

space, which can be used as an alternative for large dog owners who would like more

space for their pets.

A few small-scale amenities can be added to bring energy and excitement to the

park. Possible improvements with cost estimates are shown below (P3.3):

Dog Waste Station

Cost: $250

Community Grill

Cost: $250

Home Park with and without fencing along Calhoun Street entrance

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Lastly, to get attention and excitement from DPR for this park’s redevelopment,

visitors can use the app Happi Feet to share feedback on the park and changes they

would like to see (P3.5).

As with Holly Street Park, the Studio Team conducted an analysis of local businesses

within a quarter-mile of the park to gauge fundraising prospects. This area had 44 total

businesses, including established and iconic businesses that call the neighborhood

home. In particular, the Turner Entertainment Network headquarters is within this area,

with a host of other media and entertainment companies located at either 1050 or 1060

Techwood Drive. These businesses can be targeted for park redevelopment fundraising

efforts (P3.1). Grants are also available to support park improvements (P3.2).

Local businesses landscape within ¼ mile of Home Park Park

Long term park redevelopment vision

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

6.5 PARK | GREENSPACE

MASTER PLAN

Through stakeholder interviews and surveys, residents made it extremely clear

that the tree canopy in Home Park is a key asset that should take precedence in new

development. One interview informed the project team that when people ask where he

lives in Atlanta, he identies it as “the neighborhood with all the trees”.

The neighborhood’s treasured tree canopy should be advocated for where strong,

and built out where lacking. Councilmember Jason Dozier is leading the working group

tasked with updating Atlanta’s Tree Protection Ordinance; the group intends to announce

updates to the TPO before the end of 2023. Neighbors can write to Councilmember

Dozier, as well as District 3’s Councilmember Amos, in support of a stronger ordinance

(P4.1).

Though the neighborhood’s tree canopy is strong overall, it is not distributed evenly

throughout Home Park. It is strongest along interior roads throughout the neighborhood,

and weakest along main corridors. GDOT’s stringent right of way policies requires

special permitting to add street trees; urban design streetscape recommendations

will address the lack of trees along 14th Street. However, key nodes of the neighborhood

(Hemphill and 10th, State and 14th) as well as entire corridors (State Street, 16th Street)

are surrounded by landowners who might be easier to work with in improving tree

canopy.

Recommendation 4: Tree Canopy Protection and

Development

Volunteer tree planting event, organized by Trees

Atlanta

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Trees Atlanta determines planting sites based on a handful of factors: requests from

homeowners and community members, areas with low tree canopy cover, locations with

planting space for more trees, and partnerships with community groups, organizations,

and businesses. In particular, the organization has two programs pertinent to Home

Park’s canopy. The Front Yard Tree Program allows Atlanta City residents to request up to

three free trees to be planted in their front yards (P4.2). This program is entirely free for

Atlanta residents, with applications received year-round. Volunteers will come to plant

the trees, with landowners responsible for maintenance. Secondly, their Neighborhood

Tree Planting Program will plant thirty or more trees in either front yards or public

right-of-way, with help from neighborhood volunteers (P4.3). Trees Atlanta provides

maintenance for two years after the trees are planted for this program. HPCIA can work

to get buy-in from neighbors and business owners around key nodes and corridors to

participate in these programs.

Priority tree planting target areas, layered with existing inventory of trees planted by Trees Atlanta

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Name Project Timeframe Partner |

responnsibility

Potential

funding source Notes

Transportation

T1: State Street Multimodal Corridor

T1.1

Implement the

new cross section

concept for State

Street

2023/2024 City of Atlanta

Repaving/resur-

facing funding

pool

See concept plans in “Transportation”

section

T2: 14th Street Road Diet

T2.1

Implement the new

road diet concept

for 14th Street

2024/2025+ GDOT

Repaving/resur-

facing funding

pool

See concept plans in “Transportation”

section

T3: Other Recommendations

T3.1 10th and Atlantic Dr. 2023/2024 City of Atlanta/

Georgia Tech

Seek adoption as

a GA Tech Capital

Project

Seek inclusion in the planned 10th Street

Multi-Use Trail

Housing

H1: Short-Term Rental Management

H1.1

Support ordinance

20-O-1759 through

adoption

2023 City of Atlanta/

HPCIA N/A N/A

H1.2

Establishing the

requirement of a

special use permit

to run a STR in

Home Park

2023/2024 City of Atlanta/

HPCIA N/A

This requires conversations with the

ofﬁce of Councilmember Amos to gener-

ate legislation and have this designation

reﬂected in the code of ordinances.

H2: Parking

H2.1

Refer to the city’s

study and decide

which street park-

ing recommenda-

tions to implement

2023/2024 City of Atlanta N/A

Will require conversations with ofﬁce

of Councilmember Amos and ATLDOT

to coordinate and implement selected

street recommendations.

H3: Beautiﬁcation

H3.1

Establish a

Home Park Stu-

dent-Tenant Asso-

ciation

2023 HPCIA N/A

After initial contact and conversation

with existing student tenants, coordinate

the creation of this student organization

according to the steps laid out by Geor-

gia Tech’s Center for Student Engage-

ment.

H3.2 Resume monthly

bulk trash pickups 2023 City of Atlanta/

HPCIA N/A

Communicate with Solid Waste Ser-

vices personnel to get recurring pickups

scheduled. Talks with the ofﬁce Coun-

cilmember Amos may be warranted to

gain more support.

H3.3 Informational ﬂyers 2023 HPCIA HPCIA discretion

Put out ﬂyers for new residents on how

to deal with their bulk trash and info to

join the student-tenant association.

H3.4 Thrift store partner-

ships 2023 HPCIA N/A

Partner with Goodwill or other local thrift

stores to give student tenants moving

out the option to donate their items if in

good condition

7. COMMUNITY WORK PLAN

MASTER PLAN

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Name Project Timeframe Partner |

responnsibility

Potential

funding source Notes

Land Use

L1: Commercial Rezoning

L1.1

Submit rezoning

application for com-

mercial properties

to City of Atlanta

2023 HPCIA N/A

Will require meeting with Concept

Review Committee and a public hear-

ing with notice given to affected and

surrounding parcels

L2: Zoning Rewrite Involvement

L2.1

Draft a Neighbor-

hood Identity State-

ment for the City to

consider

2023 HPCIA N/A Should specify aspects to preserve, add,

and improve upon

L2.2

Attend Focused

Workshop for Con-

servation Areas

2023 HPCIA/Home

Park residents N/A

Can attend either in-person at Junction

2800 or online on April 13, 2023 at 6:30

L3: Communication with Surrounding Neighborhoods

L3.1

Contact representa-

tives of surrounding

neighborhoods and

propose regular

meetings

2023/2024 HPCIA N/A

Groups representing Midtown, Atlan-

tic Station, Marietta Street Artery, and

Georgia Tech should be engaged as

they share boundaries with Home Park

L4: Residential Vision

L4.1

Explore and draft a

neighborhood vi-

sion for desired R-5

development

2023/2024 HPCIA/Home

Park residents N/A

Establish neighborhood consensus on

opportunities for two-family residential

future development

Urban Design

U1: Neighborhood Commercial Centers

U1.1

Creation of walk-

able, communi-

ty-scale mixed-use

centers at the

intersections of 10th

and Hemphill and

14th and State.

2024/2025+ City of Atlanta N/A N/A

U1.2

Streetscape im-

provements along

10th and 14th

Streets

2024/2025 City of Atlanta/

GDOT

2022-2026 Com-

munity Work

Program (CWP)

Streetscape improvement projects iden-

tiﬁed by the City of Atlanta, but funds or

a timetable have not been established

U1.3

Off-street parking

relocation to rear of

commercial struc-

tures on 10th and

14th Streets.

2024/2025+ City of Atlanta N/A N/A

U2: Neighborhood Design Guidelines

U2.1 SPI-8 Overlay

Amendment 2023/2024

Atlanta City Coun-

cil/Atlanta Zoning

Review Board

N/A N/A

U2.2 Design Committee 2023 HPCIA N/A New HPCIA committee

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

7. COMMUNITY WORK PLAN

MASTER PLAN

Name Project Timeframe Partner |

responnsibility

Potential

funding source Notes

Urban Design

U3: Interior Neighborhood Streetscape Improvements

U3.1

Reconnect and

repair interior

sidewalk network;

preserve street trees

2024/2025 City of Atlanta N/A

Pressuring the city by pointing out

speciﬁc spots for repair may help move

projects along

U4: Improved Sense of Place

U4.1

Unique identifying

signs from homes

to display address

numbers

2023 HPCIA (Brad)

Community fund-

raising may be

helpful for this.

N/A

U4.2

Banners atop

lampposts and

utility poles along

10th and 14th

Streets

2023/2024 City of Atlanta N/A N/A

U4.3

Unique, large-scale

welcoming signs

at neighborhood

entrances.

2024/2025 HPCIA/City of

Atlanta

Neighborhood

fundraising/City

of Atlanta

N/A

Parks | Greenspace

P1: Holly Street Park Development

P1.1

Administer

community

survey on Park

Development

2023

Atlanta Depart-

ment of Parks

and Recreation

(DPR)

In-kind time from

volunteer HPCIA

surveyors

Task is in support of Atlanta's 2023-2027

Impact Fee Capital Improvements Ele-

ment (CIE)

P1.2

Rate the park on

the DPR Data

Equity Tool

2023

Atlanta Depart-

ment of Parks

and Recreation

(DPR)

DPR Urban

Planner: Currently

serving this role

is Tara L. Buckner,

M.P.A., AICP.

N/A

Task supports the Activate ATL Compre-

hensive Park Plan

Data Equity Tool Website

P1.3

Fundraise for park

development,

with a focus on

businesses and

neighbors identiﬁed

within a quarter

mile buffer

2023

HPCIA fundrais-

ing committee/

designated fund-

raising

N/A

Emphasize focus on businesses with

easy access to the park: north of 14th

street, south of 17th street

P2: Home Park Activation

P2.1

Organize signature

Home Park Event,

hosted in the park

2023

HPCIA, partner-

ship with local

businesses and

organizations as

vendors, Georgia

Tech

Suggested cost

of admission to

cover costs, in-

kind donations

from businesses,

potential funding

from Georgia

Tech

N/A

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Name Project Timeframe Partner |

responnsibility

Potential

funding source Notes

P2.2 Register Home Park

Park on iPARCS 2023

Atlanta Depart-

ment of Parks

and Recreation

(DPR)

N/A iPARCS Atlanta Website

P3: Home Park Park Development

P3.1

Fundraise for park

development,

with a focus on

businesses and

neighbors identiﬁed

within a quarter

mile buffer

2023

HPCIA fundrais-

ing committee/

designated fund-

raising

N/A

Emphasize focus on businesses with

easy access to the park: South of 14th

street, North of 10th street

P3.2

Seek grant

support for park

improvements

2023 Park Pride

Park Pride Grant-

making Program:

awards range from

$250 to $100,000

Park Pride Grant Program

P3.3

Install short-term

improvements for

the park

2023

Atlanta Depart-

ment of Parks

and Recreation

(DPR)

Funding received

from above sourc-

Possible improvements could include:

- Dog waste station

- Community Grill

- Calhoun Street Fence Removal

P3.4

Implement longer-

term improvements

for the park

2024

Atlanta Depart-

ment of Parks

and Recreation

(DPR)

Funding received

from above sourc-

Possible improvements could include:

- Dog Park

- Public plaza

- Picnic Area

P3.5

Promote the app

HappiFeet to

encourage park

visitors to share

feedback on the

park directly with

the Department

of Parks and

Recreation

2023 N/A N/A

https://keephappifeet.com/

https://www.activate-atl.com/engage.

html

P4: Tree Canopy Protection and Development

P4.1

Support Tree

Protection

Ordinance (TPO)

update

2023

Councilmember

Dozier, chair of

the Community

Development/

Human Services;

Councilmember

Amos, District 3

N/A Send in comments in late 2022/early

2023

P4.2 Trees Atlanta Front

Yard Tree Program 2023

Trees Atlanta;

Homeowners,

cooperating land-

lords and land

owners

N/A Tree plantings occur October through

March

P4.3

Trees Atlanta

Neighborhood Tree

Planting Program

2023/2024

Trees Atlanta;

business owners,

cooperating land

owners; and vol-

unteer residents

for tree planting

N/A

Focus on major intersections (Hemphill

and 10th, State street and 14th) and

major corridors (Hemphill Avenue, State

Street)

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

Appendix A

Analysis Methodology

Raw responses were recorded and thoroughly analyzed to create a comprehensive

list of response categories for each question. The results were aggregated across all

13 resident interviews to create a nal response count. Unique responses that had a

single mention or didn’t t neatly into a category were still included in aggregated

response lists. Please note that if a respondent mentioned the same topic multiple

times in response to a question, these multiple mentions were counted only once for

the purposes of aggregation. This ensured equal representation of respondents in nal

counts. For example: If an interviewee, in response to Question 1, repeatedly mentioned

that their favorite thing about living in Home Park was the tree canopy, this only counted

once towards the aggregated count for “Tree Canopy”.

*Bold numbers in parentheses denote the number of respondents that mentioned that

topic in their answer

1. What do you like about living in Home Park?

• Location (9)

◊ Close to Tech, Atlantic Station, West Midtown, Grocery Stores, Midtown,

Piedmont Park, Restaurants, Interstate

• Quiet/Sleepy (5)

◊ Includes privacy from rest of city

• Tree Canopy (5)

• Affordable (3)

• Grid System (2)

• Walkable/Bikeable (2)

• Population diversity (2)

• Lot size/yard (1)

• Good Neighbors (1)

• Lack of HOA (1)

2. What do you dislike about living in Home Park?

• Landlords not attending to their properties (6)

◊ HPCIA could advocate more for renter’s rights

• Lack of Parking/Inconsistent enforcement (5)

◊ Includes non-moving cars

◊ Streamlined plate parking system works better

◊ Limited parking on 14th Street pushes commercial parking into residential

areas

• Rough sidewalks (5)

• Cleanliness (4)

◊ City’s Bulk Item removal

◊ Idea for regular swap meet for students to exchange large items

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

3. What is your primary mode of travel?

• Car primary (3)

• Biking primary (3)

• Bike/Walk/Car (2)

• Walking primary (1)

4. What is your ideal mode of travel?

• Walking (4)

• Biking (4)

• Car (2)

5. What are the most dangerous or inconvenient streets/intersections in Home Park?

• 14th/Atlantic Intersection (4)

◊ Atlantic Drive unsafe, speeding

• State St/16th St Intersection diverter needs to be remodeled (3)

• Hemphill & Mcmillan & 10th St Intersection (2)

• State, Calhoun crosswalks over 14th Street (1)

• State St (1)

◊ Dislike of thru-trafc

• Hemphill (1)

• 5-way intersection near Anticos (1)

• Lack of City support (3)

• Empty feeling of neighborhood (3)

• STR’s (2)

• Dangerous Arterial Streets (2)

◊ For driving, walking, and biking

◊ Noise, disrespect of the area, bird scooters, increasing the cost of property

• Development pressures (2)

• Safety at night (1)

• Homeless Encampment on Hampton St NW (1)

• Architecture of homes (1)

• HP has too much parking, too xated on parking (1)

◊ SPI-8 causes development to be too expensive

• No attraction/activities (1)

• Lack of connectivity, East/West (1)

◊ Also North because of the railroad

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

Appendix A

6. What should be done about the 14th Street safety problem?

• Bike Lanes on existing road (6)

◊ Could include 2 lane with turn lane

• Trafc calming measures (3)

• Better Pedestrian Crossings (3)

◊ “Hawk Lights”

• Streetscaping (2)

◊ Trees

• Widening road to install bike lanes (1)

• Parking on both sides by removing travel lane (1)

7. What is your opinion of public transit around Home Park?

• Only use train for limited destinations (airport, Mercedes Benz Stadium) (4)

• Confusing bus system (3)

• Unreliable bus system (3)

• Inconvenient bus system (2)

• No shelters at bus stops (1)

• Uses bus route and train (1)

• Never going to use public transit (1)

8. What type of development is suitable for 14th Street?

• Mixed-use, midrise buildings (2-3 story) (6)

• Boutique Shops/Restaurants/Coffee Shops/Bars (6)

• Pedestrian Friendly Business (5)

◊ Parking in rear

• Neighborhood Markets (1)

• Demolish one side, make a large boulevard (1)

• Fast Food Chains (1)

• Apartments (4-5 story) (1)

• Adaptive reuse of existing buildings (1)

9. What type of development is suitable for 10th Street?

• Apartments (2)

◊ The Local is a good example of appropriate size

• Student Housing (2)

• 2-3 Story cap (1)

• Retain single family residential with pockets of commercial/restaurant (1)

• Adaptive reuse of existing buildings (1)

◊ Existing Single-Family Homes converted to businesses (I.e. coffee shops)

◊ Reuse of existing buildings as apartments (I.e. church -> apts)

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

10. What are your thoughts on scale and development styles

when it comes to the interior of Home Park?

• New construction should maintain the traditional character of Home Park (4)

• Modern style homes are ne (2)

• Tree Canopy should take precedence (2)

• Commercial Development within neighborhood is needed (2)

◊ Neighborhood Markets

• Refurbishing of existing homes is preferable to new residential (2)

• Should be strictly residential (2)

• Townhomes or a small apartment complex (1)

◊ Increased density

11. What can be done to strengthen Home Park’s sense of community?

• Signage for Home Park (3)

• Emphasis on the history of the area (2)

• Barbeques, street parties (1)

• Having neighbor’s contact information (1)

• A mural on Waterworks on Northside (1)

12. What is your opinion on short term rentals (STRs) in Home Park?

• Take away valuable resident real estate (4)

• Take away parking from residents (4)

• Don’t add to the community (3)

• Generally, not a problem (2)

◊ Exciting to see the new people always coming in

13. What are your opinions about greenspace in Home Park?

• Parks should have purposeful activities/installations (4)

◊ Multi-age play features, trail, pickleball

• Low intensity serves resident needs (3)

• Greenspace needs lighting at night (1)

• Greenspace needs to be well-maintained (1)

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS

Appendix A

14. What are your perceptions of safety within Home Park?

• Property crime is predominant form (7)

• Low crime rate (6)

• New lighting helps (6)

• Cameras needed (2)

• Will never be satised with crime rate (1)

• Good connectivity between GT PD, ATL PD, and Atlantic Station Security (1)

15. Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

• GT high tech manufacturing going in off of 14th Street near the golf course, big

investment hoping to spur mixed-use in the immediate area

• Parking is the sticking point for many development proposals

• Unique zoning is needed for Atlanta neighborhoods

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

SURVEY RESULTS

Appendix B

Analysis Methodology

Raw responses were thoroughly analyzed to create a comprehensive list of response

categories for each question. The results were aggregated across all 30 survey

responses to create a nal response count. Unique responses that had a single mention

or didn’t t neatly into a category were still included in aggregated response lists.

Please note that if a respondent mentioned the same topic multiple times in response

to a question, these multiple mentions were counted only once for the purposes of

aggregation. This ensured equal representation of respondents in nal counts. For

example: If an interviewee, in response to Question 3, repeatedly mentioned that their

favorite thing about living in Home Park was the tree canopy, this only counted once

towards the aggregated count for “Tree Canopy”.

*Bold numbers in parentheses denote the number of respondents that mentioned that

topic in their answer

1. Which of the following best describes your afliation with Home Park

2. How would you describe the current character of the Home Park neighborhood?

Positive Neutral Negative

Friendly/Nice (5)

Walkable (2)

Affordable (2)

Quiet (2)

Improving/promising (2)

Safe (1)

Residential (9)

• Family

• Student Housing

Transitional (6)

• Mixture of traditional homes

and new construction

• Developmental Pressure

Diverse/Mixture of People (4)

Eclectic (3)

Run-down (5)

Short Term Rental (4)

Empty/Lacking Community (2)

Declining (2)

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

SURVEY RESULTS

Appendix B

3. Home Park’s greatest strength is…

• Location (18)

◊ Access to Midtown, West Midtown, GA Tech, Interstate, Atlantic Station,

Downtown, Restaurants, Shopping

• Residential Nature (5)

• Diversity (3)

• Strong Sense of Community (3)

• Tree Canopy (3)

• Walkability (1)

• Affordability (2)

• Good Public Schools (1)

• Layout (1)

• Liveliness (1)

• Hidden Jem (1)

4. Suitable Developments for 10th Street

*Methodology: The survey question asks about suitable development on both 10th

and 14th Streets. If a response did not specify a street, that response was counted for

both 10th and 14th Streets in the appropriate category. The counts reect mentions

of a category. Each respondent can have a maximum of (1) count for each category.

For example, if a respondent mentions “Small apartment complex and 2-3 story

maximum commercial building” this will count as (1) for In-scale with existing

residential of neighborhood, (1) for Multifamily, multistory and (1) for Unspecied

Commercial.

• Housing

◊ Unspecied Residential (5)

◊ Single Family, Townhome, Duplex (5)

◊ Multifamily, multistory (6)

• Business

◊ Unspecied Commercial (2)

◊ Shops, restaurants (4)

◊ Mixed Use (6)

◊ In-scale with existing residential of neighborhood (7)

◊ Pedestrian focused (3)

◊ Reuse of existing buildings (1)

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

5. Suitable Developments for 14th Street

*Methodology: Same as the question #4

• Housing

◊ Single Family, Townhome, Duplex (5)

◊ Multifamily, multistory (3)

◊ Unspecied Residential (2)

• Business

◊ Shops, restaurants, cafe (7)

◊ Unspecied Commercial (4)

• Mixed Use (9)

• In-scale with existing residential of neighborhood (9)

• Pedestrian focused (2)

• Reuse of existing buildings (1)

6. Most Dangerous Places to Walk, Bike, or Drive in Home Park

Streets in general:

• 14th Street (11)

◊ Lacks trafc lights and pedestrian crossings, excessive speeds, late

afternoon sun affecting westbound visibility, no police enforcement of

trafc laws, suggestion of 2 lane w/ turn lane and bike lanes

• 10th Street (4)

◊ Excessive speeds

• Northside Drive (2)

• Center Street (1)

• State Street (1)

◊ Crime for pedestrians

• 16th Street (1)

◊ Too narrow (hard for emergency vehicle access), suggestion of 1 way trafc

• Hemphill (1)

◊ Decreased visibility when turning onto Hemphill from side streets due to

angle (Rosalyn & Curran particularly)

• All Side Streets (1)

◊ Lack of lighting and sidewalks

Specic Intersections

• Atlantic Drive & 14th Street (14)

◊ No trafc light, blind hill, trafc volume, excessive speeds, misalignment

of 14th St, no signal for pedestrian crosswalk, Atlantic Drive is the rst

through-street after Turner (making it a major cut through for Tech student

pedestrians), restricted visibility for pedestrians/drivers due to bush/tree

when going north, suggestion of “Hawk Light Crosswalk”

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

SURVEY RESULTS

Appendix B

• Atlantic Drive & 10th Street (1)

◊ There is no trafc light to tell bikers headed north (away from GT) when to

go. Also, due to the angle, it is difcult to see the crosswalk signal (as a biker

in the middle of the multi-use path on GT’s campus)

• Francis Street & 14th Street (1)

• State Street & 14th Street (1)

• Center Street & 10th Street (1)

• Northside Drive & 14th Street (1)

◊ Lack of pedestrian infrastructure

7. I Would Bike/Walk More If:

• Bike Lanes (9)

◊ Many mentions of protected bike lanes, also specically on 10th and 14th

Streets

• Better Sidewalks (6)

◊ Specic mention of wider sidewalks on 14th Street

• Better Crosswalks (5)

◊ Better pedestrian visibility, advanced warning for cars

• Better enforcement of trafc laws (4)

◊ Speed limit enforcement, crosswalk law enforcement, parking enforcement

• I already walk/bike and nothing could make me do it more (4)

• Better Connectivity to Broader Ped/Bike Network (2)

• Improved road condition (1)

• More businesses within walking distance (1)

• Decreased trafc on residential streets (1)

• Increased aesthetics of Home Park (1)

• Access to a bicycle (1)

8. Home Park’s Greatest Weakness:

• Irresponsible landlords/Airbnb owners (7)

◊ Specic mentions of poor living conditions for foreign college students, hard

to get ahold of owners

• Unkept properties (5)

• New construction out of character of neighborhood (4)

• Short Term Rentals (3)

• Bisected by 14th Street (3)

• Lack of Community/identity (3)

◊ Lack of direction

• Neighborhood leadership resistance to change (2)

◊ Specic mentions of stiing new business prospects

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

• Lack of renter representation on HPCIA (1)

• Lack of support from City of Atlanta (1)

• Vehicle trafc (1)

• Crime (1)

• Dirty (1)

9. # 1 Thing Home Park is Missing:

• Community Gathering Place/Green Space (4)

• Small-Scale Shops/Restaurants/Amenities (4)

• Sense of Community (3)

◊ Possibly with annual events, need to foster this sense between all of the

different groups that live in Home Park

• Owner Occupants (3)

• Pedestrian & Biking Connectivity/Infrastructure (2)

• Grocery Store (2)

• Drug Store (1)

• Neighborhood Bar (1)

• Protection of Single-Family Housing (1)

• Higher density development (1)

• Master Plan (1)

• Political Inuence (1)

• More representative community input by HPCIA (1)

• Safer trafc conditions (1)

• Good Landlords (1)

◊ For good rental property maintenance

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

HOME PARK PARKING RESTRICTIONS FIELD ASSESSMENT

Appendix C

Street Street

Width

(ft.)

Existing

Parking

Restriction

Proposed Parking

Restriction Proposed One-

Way Conversion Comment 8/16/2008 Neighborhood

Meeting Comments

Hampton St 24 None Westside None No comment

Curran St 18 West side None Ordinance approved for

one-way conversion

Ordinance to make

the street one-way

passed based on

Fire Department

recommendation.

One-way signs to be

installed the week of

9/29/20008

No comment

McMillan St

18' North of

Ethel St;

24' south of

Ethel St

East side - South

of Calhoun St;

west side -North of

Ethel St

Existing restriction plus West

side of the street between

Ethel St & Calhoun St

Southbound between

Ethel St and 14th St

one-way proposal

applies to McMillan St

north of Ethel St which is

only 18 feet wide.

No comment

Terrell St 16 West side Both sides None

Fire Dept recommends

parking restriction on

both sides

No comment

Center St 24 West side north of

Calhoun St

Extend parking restriction

on west side of the street

between Calhoun St & 10th St None No comment

Snyder St 18 West side none but need more parking

restriction signs

it is already a one-way

street southbound No comment

Hirsch St 24 Westside north of

Calhoun Extend westside NPA to 10th St None No comment

Tumlin St 18 Westside One-way Southbound one-way southbound as a couplet

with Mecaslin St

Mecaslin St 18 Both sides north of

Ethel Parking restriction on one

side for entire st One-way Norththbound

One-way northbound south of

380 14th St driveway. Keep two-

way trafc between 14th St & the

driveway

State Street 40 None None None No comment

Atlantic St 32 None None None No comment

Ethel St 24

both sides east of

Curran St; south side

east of Snyder St

Existing restriction plus south

side of Ethel St between

Curran St & Snyder St None

Enforce existing NPA signs. Fire

Dept recommended one side NPA.

Reduction in amount of existing

parking is an issue. Residents

believe that there are breaks in

parking due to existing driveways.

Calhoun St 24 South side None None No comment

Lynch St 22

North side & south

side in different

blocks - entire street

Keep existing restriction None No comment

Richards St 18 North side Keep existing restriction Eastbound

Residents recommends reopening

of existing alley for parking. Shift

parking to NORTHSIDE of the street

due to high curb on the Southside.

Fire Dept recommends making it

one-way W/B to turn into Richards

St. Residents concur with Fire Dept

recommendation if it has to be

made one-way.

11th St 24 Southside & West

side

Parking restriction on south

side for entire st None

Conicting signs

(residential permit

parking and no parking

signs are in place on

the south side of the

street

No comment

Home Park

Ave 24 North side None None May need more parking

restriction signs No comment

HOME PARK STUDIO 2022

Street Street

Width

(ft.)

Existing

Parking

Restriction

Proposed Parking

Restriction Proposed One-

Way Conversion Comment 8/16/2008 Neighborhood

Meeting Comments

Mecaslin St 30 None None None Install NPA north of 15th St since it is

too narrow.

State Street 32

None - Residential

Parking Program

both sides

None None

Atlantic St 32 None None none

Francis St 24 None Parking restriction on one

side of entire st None

Could create

alternating parking

restrictions to

discourage speeding.

Install NPA near 16th St. Residents do

not recommend making it one-way

or installation of NPA due to fear

that speed will increase.

Holly St 24

None - Residential

Parking Program

both sides

Parking restriction on one side

of entire st and restriction on

both sifdes near 16th St

None

Create alternating parking

restrictions to discourage speeding.

Install NPA near 16th St.

Barnes St 24 None

Parking restriction on one side

of entire st and restriction on

both sifdes near 16th St

None

Could create

alternating parking

restrictions to

discourage speeding.

Create alternating parking

restrictions to discourage speeding.

Install NPA near 16th St.

Fowler St 24 None Parking restriction on one

side of entire st None

NOTE: The eld assessment provided in the table reects conditions as of 2008.

GEORIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Home Park Studio.

SCHOOL OF CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING

Fall 2022